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During my personal meeting with the president of Pakistan General Musharraf on April 17th 2004 at The President's House in New Delhi, I asked him the simple question 'After so many wars between India and Pakistan directly or indirectly, what did each country achieve?' Looking for a moment in my eyes, he said 'Muniji no body achieves anything from fighting or wars'. With this brief answer he kept quiet. Supporting his views I said, 'Sir you are right that nobody achieves anything from fighting. We can achieve something in an atmosphere of peace and goodwill towards each other.' In a war the one who looses is the immediate looser but the winner also looses simultaneously. I further said that the enemies of both Pakistan and India are not different but one and the same. We can jointly eliminate this common enemy and then achieve peace and progress. Now the Pakistan president became serious and was mulling on my suggestion of common enemies for some moments. Observing his inquisitive eyes, I further said 'Common enemies of India and Pakistan are poverty, illiteracy, scarcity and lack of medical care for their citizens'. Both the countries can fight and eliminate these common enemies only when there is peace in our countries and vicinity. If the two countries divert their expenditure on arms race to eliminate these enemies, then people of both the countries can live in peace and prosperity.
Anekanta tries to
give birth to reconciliation amongst
many philosophies
existing in India at any time as well as bring harmony and eliminate bitterness in thought
processes of the philosophers thereby keeping their mental processes free from flaws and hatred towards others.
There can be differences of opinion between members of a family. Similarly it is but natural to have differences between the two countries. Not only this but in democracy such differences are considered as the bases of progress. But when the differences get extended to direness in our mental processes and thinking, then the result is serious problems. The simple and best way to eliminate these differences in the thought processes is adopting the doctrine of Anekanta. One can find solutions to all controversial issues through the medium of dialogue and appreciating other's viewpoints. <>
Painting Courtesy: Mahendra Shah
14 Biennial JAINA Convention 2007
61
PEACE THROUGH DIALOGUE
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