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WELCOME
Unleash Your Cosmic Power
Peace to borrow a phrase from Martin Luther King is not the absence of tension or war, it is the presence of justice. An enduring peace, based on justice, is precisely what millions of concerned anti-war demonstrators around the world have been rallying for in recent months. In the build-up to the war on Iraq, the world witnessed its broadest and biggest ever wave of peaceful antiwar demonstrations. They presented a powerful reminder, if one was needed, that people from all walks of life, the world over, are against aggression and violence; a reminder that what most of us. dream of is a peaceful life in a compassionate world.
Violence, aggression, war: if these continue to be shrugged off as 'the way of the world', if these are the methods we use (or allow our leaders to use) to combat the very same, how can we possibly hope for an end to the grievances that fuel such horrendous acts in the first place? While we must all do whatever we can to help the oppressed, and to give a voice to the poor and the downtrodden, the means we employ to do so must surely be in line with the end that we wish for. It is not through conflict, but through compassion that we will create a better world. It is not guns and bombs that we need, but understanding and kindness.
Even as I joined the great swell of humanity that denounced war on Iraq, and even as I appreciated the urgent message that these mass anti-war protests sent out, I could not help feeling that we, individually and collectively, need to do so much more in the name of peace than make the occasional political stand.
Albert Einstein wisely observed that: "Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding." Witnessing the turmoil prevalent in our world today, it is obvious that a superficial veneer of tolerance is insufficient to create a more peaceful world. What we really need is to foster a fundamental understanding and appreciation of the diversity in our world. This, by its very nature, is a continuous and organic process.
The Jain principle of anekantvada (multiplicity of viewpoints) can be particularly instructive in this process. Recognising that nobody has a monopoly on truth, and that each viewpoint is valid and must be respected as such, Jainism encourages positive encounters with 'the other'.
Jain Education International 2010_03
There is a wealth of diversity in our world, and each one of us can learn something valuable from another person, another creature, another culture, another country...the list seems endless. Interaction between different individuals, communities and societies promotes understanding between them, and this in turn leads to consideration and kindness in their actions towards each other. We can thus create an environment in which people realise that the life of every human, indeed every living creature, is equally valid and valuable, and that none has the right to trample on the aspirations or well-being of another. When we achieve such an understanding, we will automatically secure justice - for if we live by the principle that all life is equal and inter-connected, we will not wish to harm each other. Moreover, we will also actively want to promote the well being of our companions on this planet, human or otherwise.
Jain philosophy reveals that each one of us is potentially, as Jain Spirit adviser Shashikant Mehta puts it, a cosmic powerhouse. Each person's individual energy, channelled positively, can transform their own lives and be an asset to the world. If we wish to be better people, and to create a more harmonious world, we must recognise that we reap what we sow. The more seeds of goodness we plant in our lives, the better our world will be. While we need to address current conflicts, we must also be mindful that we do not sow the seeds of future despair and destruction in the process. We need a constant stream of non-violent thought and action to challenge the inequality and injustice in our world. This is why we must go beyond making the occasional urgent gesture under pressing circumstances. This is why we must carefully weave smaller actions of loving kindness into the very fabric of our lives. The peace process begins at the most local level - with each individual human being nurturing her/his innately compassionate soul.
Reading is vital
At Jain Spirit, we firmly believe that Jainism provides us with the tools for ethical, non-violent solutions to the strife in our world. In this issue, we bring you a selection of articles to help you reflect on the connections between the soul and the material world, between the personal and the political, between the local and the global. We hope you will feel inspired to think globally and act locally - to unleash your cosmic power.
falga
Falguni Patel Guest Editor
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