ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 03

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 252

B.5.16
Ahimsa (non-violence) & Human Rights in Indian Culture:
with special reference to Jainism
Justice N.K. Jain
The rights of all human and living beings get born with the birth on this earth. That is why every activity of a human being is associated with human rights. Basis of the human civilization and culture is the human value is the human values and human rights. In the absence of human rights, an individual cannot live with honour.
Indian philosophies are based on contemplation of liberation of the soul and non violence. All religions, philosophies or communities of the world, whether vedic/Jewish/Christianity/Islām/ Pārsi/Skhism/Buddhism or Jainism, have some form or the other discussions on non violence and accepted its importance. No religion talks of exploitation of human beings, rather they always talk of human rights along with betterment of human life itself.
Discussions and thoughts on non-violence has never been limited to a specified town, state, country, languages, community or a philosophical tradition. Neither it is the property of an individual. It is the universal principle and the finest state of humanism.
Non violence is the heart of a culture and foundation of a religion and philosophy. Therefore all noble thinkers have accepted the benefits and essentiality of non violence and discussed its nature as well.
True knowledge is that which enables the human beings in eliminating their pains and sorrows. What is the use of that knowledge which is not capable of doing so? Freedom does not give the right to be selfish.
The focus of Indian culture and religions had been non-violence. It has been accepted that our mother land, i.e. India, had been the holy place to contemplate/analyze and implement non-violence completely. The doctrine of non-violence appears to be the basis of the cultural division of the four time eras/epochs i.e. Satyug, Dwāpar, tretā and kaliyug sequentially. Satyug is considered to be the era of complete non-violence while Kaliyug is considered to the time with maximum violence. Birth of any great saint or god is also considered as the
STUDY NOTES version 5.0
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