Jainism and World Problems

Author(s): Champat Rai Jain
Publisher: ZZZ Unknown

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JAINISM AND WORLD PROEMS
who is not imbued with the principle of ahimsa ; "I am here to give happiness to others :" is the actuating sub-conscious conviction of the other. The point is forcibly brought to the mind of the marrying couples at the time of the wedding cereinony amongst the Aryan races in India. They are made to go round the Sacred Fire seven times. The ceremony is an essential element in a Jaina and Hindu marriage. The significance of this ceremony is symbolic, Agni, the god of fire, being really only a personification of the karma.consuming Fire of Renunciation. As the young couple go round the Sacred Fire it is impressed upon their minds at each circumambulation that not pleasure-seeking, but renunciation is the aim and ideal of life. This is done not once, nor twice, but seven times. The wedding ceremony is certainly the most befitting occasion for the injunction, since married life affords such sense stealing intoxication to the participants that they are apt to disregard all higher ideals and injunctions for the pleasure of each other's contact and the love of the children that may be born.
With reserence to the jailure of the married life, I will say only this that we shall find here also ahimsa solving the problem, and bringing happiness and joy to the greatest numbers of married couples even if not into every home. Let them only live on the principle oi self-denial, as distinguished from the legal right, and they will soon find that it will turn a desolation into a picturesque rose garden sooner than can be imagined. There are very few persons who have a real brutal nature; and all the rest can and will respond to the sincere surrender of love in self-denial, proceeding from a heart that has the understanding of its rights, but that, through love, deliberately chooses to forego them. The reaction to sacrifice is greater sacrifice (in response) by the other party, so that soon the equilibrium of balance is regained, and an increase of the affectionate esteem and sentiment is secured in the bargain ! On the other hand, where the