Gommateshvara Commemoration Volume

Author(s): T G Kalghatgi
Publisher: Parshwanath Shodhpith Varanasi

Page 22

Ahimsa Culture and Human Evolution
and moral health. Culture based on Ahimsā alone can lead humanity to its destined goal. .
It is no doubt extremely difficult to give even the outlines of a world of human beings pursuing and living in the atmosphere of Ahimsa Culture. One World Government and a world without war, in which all conflicts of interest are solved by legal and juridical methods are the sine qua non. After the second world war, the whole of humanity agreed to be guided by the United Nations Organisation. There is bound to be another landmark in the history of man on account of the realisation that unless man takes to ways of peace, justice, and love of each other, his fate is sealed and would end in a calamitous disaster. It is found that even in the animal world, 'Fighting among members of the same species never ends in death or serious injury to either of the partners' (Science Reporter: page 852, December 1979). Man who boasts himself as the crown of creation must and will rise above the present level of mutual destruction and make way for a new civilization, in which each one lives for the other and all live and strive for the good of all. Decentralisation of all power, economic, social and political as well as non-exploitation will be the keynotes of the non-violent or Ahimsaka human society. All science and technology will have to be diverted from the present destructive purposes to fight against poverty, disease, ignorance, superstition, lethargy and aggressive behaviour. Today's disciplined armies would be tomorrow's trained social workers who would deem it their duty and privilege to prevent all outbursts of passion and disorderly patterns of conduct. Education would address itself to the ideal of a human society founded on love and altruism.
When I am speaking about Ahimsa Culture, a natural query would be, have there been individuals, groups, or nations who have advocated as well as tried to live according to this type of culture. The basic ingredients of such a culture would be the belief that "all life is one". No one who believes in this dictum intuitively would consciously injure any living creature, nay even a plant, by thought, word or deed; while this would be a negative attitude, the positive attitude would be to dedicate ones life to do everything possible to promote life and its healthy growth all round. There are lacs of individuals in India alone, especially of the several orders of Sanyāsis, who are vegetarians and lead life of abstinence, though not always of positive social service. The Jainas of India as a whole, both those of the holy order, men and women, and householders are pledged to Ahimsä as a religious principle. They believe that even atoms have souls marching towards final salvation. If one cannot help them on, one could and would and ought to abstain from obstructing them by any kind of injury in thought, 'word and deed. They are all supposed to observe what are called Vratas, vows, the Aņu-vratas, mini vows, and Mahā-vratas, the great vows. The Jainas in India can be counted in a few millions. Ahimsă in a limited sense of noninjury to life only of the animal world, is followed by the Veerashaiva community