Jain Journal 1999 07

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

Page 53

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JAIN : RELEVANCE OF NON-VIOLENCE IN MODERN LIFE detest sorrow and death and desire a long and happy life.” Therefore, he gave the famous slogam "live and let live."
The world to-day is passing through a serious crisis. Violence has increased tremendously in society. Advanced countries are producing weapons and most dangerous bombs on such a mass scale that the whole humanity can be wiped out within a few days. During the bomb attacks in Hiroshima and Nagasaki 55 years ago, lakhs of people were killed, but to-day if unfortunately another world war breaks out, it will be most disastrous for the whole Humanity. Besides the dangers of war, there is too much suspicion in the minds of the people. For the last few years, terrorism has spread in many countries and societies, thus tension has increased and there is no real peace in the world.
The principle of non-violence embraces not only human or the animal kingdom, but also trees, vegetables, air and water as all these are considered as living beings with souls. As such they also fell pain when injured or destroyed and one commits violence when indulging in such acts just as cutting of trees, excavating the earth recklessly, over-exploiting the rivers etc. Incidentally, all ecologists, environmentalists and preservationists are coming to the same conclusion as a result of the latest advances in science. There is a movement for preservation of animals, realising that every creature, tiniest or wildest, has its place in the scheme of nature. Tree cuttings, pollution of rivers and oceans and needless unplanned excavation of earth is raising protests. The world is coming to the same path as preached by Jainism thousands of years ago.
Living in Harmony with Nature
All the living beings have to live in co-existence with each other. Ācārya Umāsvāti writes in the Tattvärtha-sūtra 5.21 that all souls render service to one another. They cannot live independently. They have to share their pleasure and pain with others. Unfortunately the modern man thinks that he is the master and controller of nature and all agencies should serve him, hence he overexploits natural resources. All the agencies of nature, rivers, mountains etc. have their own role to play and Man, if he wants peace, must co-exist with them.
According to the theory of Karma, violence leads to bondage and defilement of the soul thus delaying its liberation. The injurer soul suffers from the passions accompanying the act of causing injury and the injured person forms a sense of enmity and hatred towards the injurer. This perpetuates the cycle of birth and death by defilement of both souls.