Jain Journal 2007 07

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

Page 17

18
JAIN JOURNAL: VOL-XLII, NO.J JULY 2007
answer; Because the Awakened Ones said so in the ancient times', -9 or "There is no mistake in the Revelation of God. So You have only to follow His Words”? They may accept your words without making more questions, but such obedience as this is not enough for them to realize the worth of life." To explain the evil of 'killing'and 'violence,' it is the best to go into the essence of the life-ethics from all aspects. This paper just tried showing some examples for the purpose.
Looking back to the fact that Jainism has the Life-centred ethics, it makes a clear contrast with the God-centred ethics. Jaina parents, however, can also refer to the case of Zoroastrianism, a monotheism based on the Life-centred ethics. The children are advised to understand the meaning of 'ahisā' not only in Jainism but also in other religions, because 'ahimsā' has many ways to interpret according to one's standpoint. To see more and more facets even one thing is to follow the Jaina philosophy of Anekānta-vāda.
After a survey of the human thoughts on ‘non-killing' and 'nonviolence,' the children are sure to appreciate their religious identity much more clearly than ever. Such a spiritual trip from and to the Jaina ‘ahiṁsā' should be helpful to broaden their horizons of the new century. It is the Jaina youth that can take up the significance of “Mahāvīrā and Ahimsā” and convey it to the future, for they actually live a Jaina life that cannot be replaced with another way of life. The same logic as this must be true of the others living a religious life.
The author would hope to see the day when the Zoroastrian and Jaina youth in India grow up to find a kindred spirit in their lifeethics and cooprate with each other for its appication to the coming days' problems of the world, because they deserve to produce a lifephilosophy of Indo-Iranians in friendly rivalry with all others of the world.
That is why a comparative study of religious life-ethics becomes important today.
29. Cf. Dhammapada XIV, 183-185.
30. Cf. Revelation 22:18-19.
Education International
www.jaineli