Jainism and Democracy

Author(s): Indra Chandra Shastri
Publisher: I A S S Jain Conference New Delhi

Page 32

THREE IDEALS OF LIFE
From the modern point of view the human problems are divided into following three categories :
1. The problems arising out of ignorance. 2. The problems arising out of scarcity. 3. The problems arising from injustice.
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Naturally the solution of these problems lies in the opposites i.e. the problem of ignorance can be overcome by knowledge, those of scarcity by abundance and those of injustice by power.
As far as, the scarcity is concerned it has two meanings. Firstly, it means the non-availability of the commodities necessary for life. Secondly, it means the unbridled increase of desire when satisfaction becomes impossible. It results in unlimited accumulation by one at expense of others, resulting to poverty and scarcity for the later. This type of scarcity comes in the category of injustice, while, the former type is regarded as unhappiness. Indian religion lays stress on the second and holds greed as the fundamental cause of scarcity. It also holds that on reaching the highest goal of life the external needs or dependence is absolutely overcome. Anyhow, as far as the day-to-day life is concerned, we have to marshal both the fields, on one side we have to manage for the necessary supplies and on the other hand we have to control the unnecessary rise or greed etc.
The cause of the third problem is injustice. It also has two ways to get rid of. Firstly, we can remove the injustice by killing or punishing the enemy. Secondly, we can unfold our innerself and make it so strong as