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APRIL, 1990
The Jaina doctrine of Universal Love (ahimsa) which is altogether scientific and grounded on natural laws, is the one thing that is needed if we are ever sincerely to get over our prejudices. Nothing else will ever succeed. Can we not rely on the modern civilization to exclude prejudice from the hearts of men? I do not think we can.
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Shall we not be able to arrive at the era of peace on earth through materialistic training and the treaties of nations? Most certainly not. For materialism only offers peaceful rest in the grave to the individual, and only cares for the society; but the curbing down of passions is a matter of the individual heart, and materialism possesses no sufficient inducement for its accomplishment. It is, in reality, our materialism that is responsible for much of our greed and covetousness, and, through them, for our hateful deeds. It will be a bit of very agreeable news if materialism were to start teaching renunciation. As for the treaties of nations, did we not observe their real value during the last war? Why compel me to say that to him who thinks for is strong enough to defy the whole world the treaties have not as much value as the scrap of paper on which they are written ?
Neither superstition nor general education on materialistic lines will, then, be found adequate to change the hearts of men. What is required is the knowledge of the Laws of Nature that come into operation in connection with our emotions, and how they affect the soul and the relations of nations and communities of men. For once it is recognized that the soul is an entity whose welfare is of paramount importance and which is affected by its emotions and beliefs-beneficially by the emotions of Love, and most harmfully by those of selfishness and hatred-men will certainly refrain from doing what is harmful, and adopt the rule of Love.
Although it is not possible to do anything like justice to the subject in the course of the present speech, some indication must be given of how the consequences of evil, and in general of all actions (karma), are forced on the soul. Now, it has already been stated that every action engenders or modifies, that is to say, strengthens or weakens, an existing tendency in the soul. The sum total of these tendencies is what is termed character, or disposition, which goes with the soul, and takes part in the shaping of its future destiny. The explanation of how this is brought about is this all these tendencies are powerful active forces which during life are constantly urging and moving us for various ends. After death also they remain active, and continue to vibrate. They have no hands and feet to set in motion then; but they work on the matter which the
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