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Non-Violence: A Way of Life
of the bonds of the caste system. He completely revolutionised the concept of the high and the low. He revolted against the convention which laid down that woman should be under her father's protection in childhood, her husband's protection in youth and her son's protection in old age. Now onwards, the distinctions of caste or gender shall not obstruct the development of the soul. Under the aspect of the soul, all are equal. Brahmin or Shudra, man or woman, young or old - whoever makes efforts can attain liberation. It was in order to justify this that he made Chandanbala his first nun. He helped man overcome the dependence on fate and on the grace of God. He preached that man should make efforts and said, "However great a god may be and however good his heaven may be, if man shows his humanity, even a god bows at his feet. That is why man should insist on truth and love. It is by his deeds, his virtues and his efforts that man can be great. For this, birth, family and caste are of little use."
Mahavira saw that celibacy is something greater than the vow of possessionlessness. Celibacy is not only an external function of accepting or abandoning external objects; it is essentially a spiritual restraint. Similarly, penitence is the only way of severing the bonds of karma. Thus he established the over-whelming importance of penance in life. Thus Bhagwan liberated man from mental slavery. He valued man's own effort above fate. He expounded that active efforts are preferable to dry erudition. Fighting against age-old customs and blind faith, Mahavira proved the importance of freedom of thought. He fearlessly accepted what he thought to be true.
Like the monk, the householder has his own duties to
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