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JAINISM INT) WORLD PROBLEMS
prejudices. Nothing else will ever succeed. Can we not rely on the inodern civilization to exclude prejudice from the hearts of men ? I do not think we can.
Shall we not be able to arrive at the era of peace on earth through materialistic training and the treaties of nations? Most certainly not. For materialism only offers peaceful rest in the grave to the individual, and only cares for the society ; but the curbing down of passions is a matter of the individual heart, and materialisin possesses no sufficient inducement for its accomplishment. It is, in reality, our materialism that is responsible for much of our greed and covetousness, and, through them, for our hateful deeds. It will be a bit of very agreeable news if materialism were to start teaching renunciation. As for the treaties of nations, did we not observe their real value during the last war ? Why compel me to say that to him who thinks he is strong enough to defy the whole world the treaties have not as much value as the scrap of paper on which they are written ?
Neither superstition nor general education on materialistic lines will; then, be found adequate to change the hearts of men. What is required is the knowledge of the Laws of Nature that come into operation in connection with our emotions, and how they affect the soul and the relations of pations and cominunities of men. For once it is recognized that the soul is an entity whose welfare is of paramount importance and which is affected by its emotions and beliefs
- beneficially by the emotions of Love, and most harmfully by those of selfishness and hatred---men will certainly refrain from doing what is harmful, and adopt the rule of Love.
Although it is not possible to do anything like justice to the subject in the course of the present speech, still some indication must be given of how the consequences of evil, and in general of all actions (karma), are forced on the soul. Now, it has already been stated that every action engenders or modifies, that is to say, strengthens or weakens, an
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