Jain Journal 2008 01 No 03

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

Page 26

JAIN JOURNAL: VOL-XLII, NO.3 JANUARY. 2008
Whether this portion of the Mahabharata is greatly influenced by Jainism or not, is a matter of speculation now. But it is true that the spirit of all these passages is in accordance with the tone and tune of Jaina ahimsā.
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IX. Tolerance in Jainism :
In the end I come to the question of tolerance in Jainism. It is to be remembered that one of the greatest contributions of the Jains to the domain of morality is the teaching of tolerance. Jainism has taught us how to inculcate the habit of tolerance. It is expressed in different contexts in different ways. Through his whole life, dedicated to the cause of Jainism, Mahāvīra showed the people the way of tolerance for becoming a perfect man in different walks of life. Mahāvīra practised tolerance first in his life and then preached it. At the age of 30, Mahāvīra left his home and did severe penance quite a lot for the Salvation of his soul. While preaching and propagating his doctrines in different parts of eastern India, Mahāvīra came to the land of Radha and in that country he suffered a lot from the hands of the people. In the second part of the Acārāngasūtra, it is stated that the people of Radha had mocked at him, had sneered at him and threw stones at him. Even dogs and ferocious animals used to attack him for biting. It is said in the same book that Mahāvīra withstood all these sufferings calmy and quietly. This is one of the greatest instances of Mahāvīra's tolerance.
Apart from this incident as narrated in the Acārāngasūtra there are other stories also where Mahāvīra's tolerance is illustrated. While wandering in the different parts in eastern India, he met lots of rival groups, such as, the Ājīvikas, Gosala Mankhaliputra and so on who challenged some of the views of Mahāvīra, but Mahāvīra encountered them calmly and quietly maintaining the sense of tolerance. One of such encounters is given in the seventh chapter of the Upāsakadaśāsūtra where Gosāla attacked Mahāvīra and challenged all his arguments which Mahāvīra calmy endured and answered them. Mahāvīra never used any filthy and foul-language to subdue his rivalry.group. The only weapon which Mahāvīra adopted to defeat his enemies is the weapon of tolerance.