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Chapter 7 NON-VIOLENCE
The doctrine of non-violence is very old in the Aryan tradition. it is respected equally in all the Aryan cults. With this we find that the doctrine has developed in a variety of ways in thought and wordly dealings along with the development of different religious traditions and the spread of the life of the common man, Right from the ancient days, two streams regarding the thinking on non-violence have flown in the Arvan tradition. One stream is dependent on the śramana way of life while the other one is dependent on the concept of life in the Brahmanic tradition together with the concept of four stages of life--Aśramas. From the viewpoint of pbilosophic thinking, no difference of opinion can be found between the two streams of thought. Differences or opinion come to the forefront in worldly life when we consider its uility. Here difference of opinion and internal opposition will be found in all the smaller branches of both these wider streams. The main reason here is the difference of outlook on life. The outlook on life as found with the Sramana tradition is mostly individualistic and spiritual. The outlook on life to he found with the Brahmanic tradition is mostly social or of social welfare. In the former, Loksangraha is desirable only to the extent that it is not a verse to spirituality. When it is found to be averse to spirituality the first tradition will remain indifferent towards it or even op on it. In the second tradition Loksangraha is undertaken on such a large scale that no conflict arises in it between spiritualism and materialism.
Narration of non-violence in the Āgamas
One stream of thinking regarding non-violence in the Sramaņa tradition was flowing in its typical pattern. In course of time, as it proceeded further it revealed itself in an ennobled form in the Rite of Lord Mahavira, a life-long ascetic. A clear revelation of
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