Jainism and Democracy

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

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JAINISM AND DEMOCRACY
fully purified. Boons and curses or dependance on the pleasure of some Almighty being is against the principle of equality; which Jainism is prepared to leave in no circumstances.
Truth
While accepting truth as one of the great vows, main emphasis is laid on the motive. Truth does not mean merely the statement of a fact, but at the same time the language of the student should be inoffensive and the motive beneficial. In case a statement leads to harm others, though logically true, it is not allowed. Similarly, a harsh or pinching word also is disallowed. Thus, we can see that in the ascetic tradition, including all the three systems of Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism, truth is motivated with non-violence.
As a matter of fact, truth occupies a prominent position in the path of knowledge, while in the path of action it is subordinate to non-violence.
The path of knowledge is the path of Philosophers. For them truth is supreme. But for a man of action truth is only a supplement to non-violence. In certain cases when he has to forego either of the two, he will prefer non-violence.
It is clearly stated in the Jnanarnava that the vows of truth etc. in their real sense, form a part of the great vow of non-violence.
Non-stealing
The vow of non-stealing roughly means not to take anything without permission of the owner. But, ultimately, it aims at taking nothing which is not ones due.