Economics of Mahaveera

Author(s): Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Adarsh Sahitya Sangh

Page 81

POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT
65
part, but human effort has so much power that it can change the fate. Mahavira subscribed to the theory that things do not happen as determined by fate. Many philosophers have held the view that things happen in a way that is delineated by fate and nobody can change it. Mahavira did not advocate such a premise. He enunciated new principles of karmwad, the duty to carry out one's obligations, and said that while fate is, of course, one of the factors in guiding our activities, it is not the sole factor. Fate also can be changed by human effort.
Poverty and Karma We should not sit idle believing that the poverty of the poor is destined by his fate and that prosperity of the rich is destined by his fate. A person with his own endeavour, with his power of wisdom and action can earn infinite wealth. One who cannot muster enough resources, land, time, relative values and favourable mental environment and also not make adequate efforts remains poor. His poverty has nothing to do with fate. Many people explain fate as the determinant, but Mahavira never accepted the premise that prosperity or poverty is due to fate. As a matter of fact, the adequacy of resources is dependent more on external factors, it is not dependent on one's own fate.
In Jain philosophy, there has been a lot of serious thinking on this subject and some scholars are deliberating even today on the question whether the acquired wealth is due to fate or due to some other factors. As far as we have analysed, fate or fortune has no relationship with acquiring wealth. It depends on resources, space, time and price. Take the example of the Middle East or Arab countries. Until oil was not extracted, poverty was the order. After the commencement of production of oil, the position suddenly transformed itself. Today, those countries are counted among the rich countries of the world. There is a district in Rajasthan, Udaipur, Rajsamand. Until marble was discovered in that region, there was not much of prosperity in evidence. After the coming up of the marble industry, it witnessed a great deal of prosperity. In reality, therefore, this has nothing much to do with fate as with the circumstances and environment. That