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justified. Ācārya Haribhadra says: "I possess no bias for Lord Mahāvīra and no prejudice against Kapila and other saints and thinkers. Whosoever is rational and logical ought to be accepted. When religion tends to be rational there will hardly be any room for intolerance. One, who is thoroughly rational in religious matters, certainly would not be rigid and intolerant.
Non-extremism is the basis for unity and peace
Dogmatism and fanaticism are the born children of extremism. An extremist holds that whatsoever he propounds is correct and what others say is false, while a relativist is of the opinion that he and his opponent both may be correct, if viewed from two different angles and thus a relativist adopts a tolerant outlook towards other faiths and ideologies. Only a relativist or non-violent search for truth finds non-extremism.
Non-extremism forbids allowing the individual to be dogmatic and one-sided in approach. It pleads for a broader outlook and openmindedness, which alone can resolve the conflicts that emerge from differences in ideologies and faiths. Satkari Mookerjee rightly observes that the extremist engenders fanaticism, the worst and the vilest passion of human heart. Siddhasena Diväkara remarks "All schools of thought are valid when they are understood from their own standpoint and so far as they do not discard the truth-value of others. !6" Hemacandra who was a Jaina saint, composed his works in the praise of Lord Siva. This liberalism should be maintained if we want to establish peace on earth. What is Peace?
The term 'Peace' has various connotations. Intrinsically, peace means a state of tranquility of mind. It is the state in which self rests in its own nature, undisturbed by external factors. Peace means soul devoid of passions and desires. Ācārānga mentions that an aspirant who has attained peace has no desire.!? Peace means cessation of all desires. Sūtrakstāngaequates it with the emancipation from all desires in other word; it is the state of self-contentment or total subjectivity i.e. the state of pure Seer. Ācārānga maintains that one who is aware
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