Book Title: Jainism The Cosmic Vision
Author(s): Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: UK Mahavir Foundation London

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Page 218
________________ Human Rights And Jainism come to the aid of men. Women have been recognized for their exceptional contributions in the fields of education, culture and religion. The devotees of the Jain religion may be small in number and yet they have played a very active and constructive role in times when a section of the humanity faced calamity - natural or human-in various parts of the country, calamities such as droughts, famines, floods, earthquakes etc. The history of the Jains is full of philanthropists like Jagadushah, Khemo Dedrani, Javadshah and Motishah and even today the Jains, who regard non-violence and compassion as their main ideals of life, come forward at a moment, notice to provide relief and succour to the suffering humanity. Otherwise also, they are generous enough to distribute aid to the poor and the starving in both rural and urban areas. Lord Mahavira has said that the one, who does not distribute wealth equitably among people of his clan, does not deserve salvation. He has lauded the one who distributes his wealth to the needy and to the deprived ones. In the Dashvaikalik Agamsutra, Mahavira says that the one who does not voluntarily recognise the share of the needy in his own wealth will not reach salvation in his life. This means that everyone should allow others to partake of or share his or her wealth according to his or her capacity. Thus Jain philosophy considers non-violence and compassion as the richest qualities of human life. It exhorts its desciples and followers to oppose violence and brutality in every possible way. The Jain religion has always advocated gender equality since its birth. One of its tenets is that the Almightly dwells in the soul of every person and when that is so every individual should strive to adopt spiritualism rather 201 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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