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ETHICAL DOCTRINES IN JAINISM
ing and ridiculous speech, and of words which arouse uneasiness, engender fear, excite repugnance and hostility, inflame dolour and intoxicate brawl, should be banished from the conduct of the state. Thirdly, the respect shown by the state for the rights of others constitutes its nonstealing. Colonisation is stealing; hence it should be condemned as unwholesome. Aggression and domination are robbery. Hence they must stop. Fourthly, Brahmacarya or continence implies that the state should not dissipate its energies for military organisations and in the manufacturing of nuclear weapons. The wealth and labour of the state should be directed for the upliftment of mankind at large. Fifthly, the virtue of Aparigraha declines to hanker after other state's wealth and territory. The surplus production should be left for the use of other states without any ill-motive. Imperialistic tendencies should be regarded as baneful by the state. The virtue of Aparigraha is a mean between capitalism and communism.
The above treatment of the virtues as applied to the state will oblige us to admit that the state is required for the development of human personality. The individual contributes its share to the state and the latter in turn reciprocates with manifold energy and strength, and affords opportunities for the material and spiritual development of man: Just as material backwardness hampers the progress of the individual, so also the state becomes impotent without material possessions. But the reins of the horses of materialism should be in the hands of spiritualism. The above mentioned virtues suffice to evolve a balanced outlook in the state. The virtues of non-violence and Aparigraha are capable of establishing universal peace. Non-violence cannot be materialised in the life of the state without extirpating the passion of greed. The root cause of violence is material goods. If the importance of the virtue of Aparigraha is understood at the international level, the attitude of non-violence will synchronise.
After dwelling upon the Jaina conception of the individual and society, the possibility of stateless society, and the virtues of the state which are capable of affording solution to the problems of national and international importance, we now propose to deal with the attitude of Jainism towards casteism. Jainism looks at casteism with an eye of contempt. The superiority of one caste over the other is foreign to Jaina ethics. Casteism is an evil and is based on the passions of hatred and pride. These two are intense passions, hence they bring about sin to
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