Jain Journal 1990 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 48

APRIL, 1990
159
and will never think of hurting or harming any one in the least degree. To such a saint the practising of Universal Love comes easy. He looks upon none as his enemy If a man abuse him, he is not displeased with him ; if one persecute him, he will be thinking of only one thing—how to serve him !
The man who does not practise Universal Love, does not love all beings alike. He will not be loving the animals, and is sure to be indifferent even to the fate of the millions and millions of human beings whom he does not love. Many who profess to follow the ideal of love in their lives do not hesitate to devour the flesh of poor unfortunate animals.
It is idle to expect from such men that they will steadfastly adhere to the nobler view under all circumstances. During the last great European War religious priests on both sides went on blessing their own armies, and maintained that they were fighting the war of righteousness. Yet both sides professed the same religion, which was surely intended to be one of love. The explanation is that the sentiment was no deeper in their case than the lining membrane of their lips ; their hearts were not affected by it. The past history of other nations also reveals the same sad truth in most cases. Probably the only exception is furnished by the followers of the Jaina Religion, who practise the rule of ahimsā. It is impossible for a Jaina saint to bless any offensive weapon or armies that are marching against their fellow men. There is not one instance where the Jaina saints have forgotten themselves and their religious obligation in this regard. The Jaina saint is really the one man who practises Universal Love. He will not hurt even an insect, let alone man. He has left the world behind, and will not, on any account, look back. His heart is saturated with ahimsā; he even controls his bodily automatism, and will never, even in thought, wish harm to another living being, be he man or animal. Really, it is only when a man has become so far filled with universal love that we can confidently rely upon him under all circumstances. He whose ideals are no longer in or of the world will certainly not degrade himself by doing base worldly things, like setting up invidious and hateful distinctions, amongst men.
Apart from the saints, the only other class of men who are at all likely to stand firm in the belief of the brotherhood of man are those who are fully convinced of the need for practising ahimsā on religious grounds. You cannot expect your diplomats and politicians to fall into this class. These men are all the time actuated by greed and the lust of acquisition, and have even in sleep half an eye open to their own interest. And the pity of the thing is that while with their tongue they are uttering honeyed