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JAIN DIGEST
ronmental pollution and interference with nature thousands of species are extinct forever every year, that between now and the year 2000, i.e., in ten years' time in our present indiscriminate manner of acting, between one half to one million species will be extinct forever. We do not practice Ahimsa-non-violence as a result of which ecological disasters on colossal scale takes place resulting into enormous risk not only to nature but to the human beings tool.
The international union for conservation of nature and natural resources (IUCN) has categorized a number of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects and other invertebrates, plants and a number of other species which are either endangered or vulnerable mainly due to human encroachmenton nature upsetting the ecological balance. These include some of the most gorgeous expressions of life that have ever been present on the earth; the great whales, the Asian elephant, the magnificent snow leopard, the polar bear, the jaguar, the cheetah, the California pronghorn ante lope, the giant ibis, the California condor, the black-necked swan, the whooping crane, the Mississippi sandhill crane, the golden eagle, the southern bald eagle, the paradise parrot, the ivory-billed woodpecker, the mauritian dodo, etc. The list could go on and on merely among the vertebrates but then we would need to begin the list of those splendid insects upon which so much of life depends, and then the plant world, especially the flowering plants that are endangered, and the woodlands, and so on.
Recent history is replete with the major man-made disasters created on account of treacherous violence of Nature. To cite only one example, Bhopal in India experienced such a disaster on account of gas leak from pesticide planton 2 December 1984, when at least 2,000 people were killed and 250,000 were treated for various ailments. But the day-to-day loss on account of the human violence on nature is colossal. The daily loss is several times more than the loss caused by any of the major disasters. The total extinction of hundreds and thousands of species is absolute and final and there is no scope for its revival. The human aggression on the nature is responsible for diminishing the splendor and vigor and variety of life on earth.
Albert Schweitzer has very aptly said that "Man has lost the capacity to foresee and forestall. He will end by destroying the earth." It is obvious that the loss is as much to the mankind asitis to the nature because we do not follow the principle of mutual interdependence-PARASPAROPAGRAHO JIVANAM.
It is a very disturbing development of our times, that while the world human population is increasing on a fast pace there is overall reduction in numerous other life organisms creating further ecological imbalance. It is hardly realized that neither economics viability nor improvement in the condition of the life of poor is possible in such circumstances. HRH Prince Philip at our meeting on 23 October 1990 expressed his concern to the exploding population growth which is expected to be double in about another 40 years.
It is only when we realize that the human well being is integral to the well being of the natural world that there is any future for mankind. The progress of mankind is corre
lated to the progress of the entire plenary community. In order to have real and sustainable progress, it must be shared by all the living as well as non-living community of the planet. Instead of making futile attempts of establishing supremacy over nature, mankind should learn to live in harmony with nature by following the principle of AHIMSA (non-violence) as a supreme religion.
Jainism recognizes the inherent right of all living organisms to exist. It has no antagonism, enmity or hatred towards the natural world. Jainism teaches love and regard, compassion and reverence, tolerance and sympathy, friendship and intimacy, forgiveness and fearlessness, freedom and equality, grace and harmony among all living beings and the natural world.
The United Nations Assembly approved the World Charter on Nature" in the year 1982. It is heartening to note that the charter quite clearly accepts that our human civilization is integral with the natural world and that it recognition and preservation is urgent if human community itself is to survive in any vital way. The world charter on nature is a clear and complete acceptance of the principle of interde pendence--PARASPAROPAGRAHOJIVANAM. This principle of mutual integration, interrelationship and interde pendence is the hallmark of Jainism. Its acceptance in principle by the world community is a good beginning and a sure sign of harmonious and peaceful progress not only of mankind but also of the entire natural world.
We must remember that we are ourselves species among species, that we are all insignificant members of an insignificant species on an insignificant planet in an infinite universe of infinite time and space. Realization of this Jain Theory of Cosmology will make up humble in all spheres of life. We have to follow the law, economics and science of nature. That is our morality and this is our religion. We have to BEHAVE, if not for anything else, at least for our own survival-survival of mankind. This is the message of the United Nations World Charter on Nature, this is the message of Jain Declaration on Nature presented to HRH Prince Philip, this is the message of AHIMSA-non-violence and the principle of interdependence-PARASPAROPAGRAHO JIVANAM.
Jain Sacred Literature Trust Donors
1. Oshwal Association of the U.K. - 10,000 2. Navnat Vanik Association of the U.K. - 10,000 3. Vijay-Shah-Belgium - 5,000 4. Jains from Africa - 5,000 5. Hasmukhbhai Gardi and Family - 2,500 6. Velji Dharamshi Chandaria Family --- 1,500 7. Naginbhai Doshi, Singapore - 1,500 8. Babubhai Kapadia, Manchester - 500 9. Jain Social Group, London - 500 10. Bhakti Mandal, London - 151 11. Jaina, North America - TBA 12. Young Jaing - 51 TOTAL - 36,702 Bhagwan Mahavir Memorial Samiti, India R42 Lakhs
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