Book Title: Jainism the Creed for All Times
Author(s): D S Baya
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

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Page 379
________________ Anekāntavāda: The Harbinger Of Peace And Prosperity - It is the egocentric approach to things where an individual or a country thinks that what it feels for the world at large is the only right thing to do for each and every nation and who-so-ever disagrees with its views is to be roundly thrashed. It spells doom for the world. Such absolutist views are resented by everyone and give rise to conflict at every stage. Jainism with its nonabsolutist principle of Anekānta, which advocates that the truth is multifaceted and everyone's views may have something that is right and worth consideration and thereby respects everyone's views, is the surest formula for conflict resolution and melting away of tensions in international matters. All sorts of conflicts, ethnic disputes, religious intolerance, ideological differences and racial discrimination can be resolved through the application of this one principle. Need I to mention that if all disagreements are sorted out in accordance with the Anekānta approach, there will be no discord or contention and peace will be within reach. Universal Love - A feeling of universal love, friendship and fraternity that runs through the Jaina way of life, which respects the integrity of even the microscopically small life-forms, be adopted universally, it will result in universal non-violence and a feeling of compassion for all. The world so imbued with love and compassion will not resort to violence in finding solution to any of its problems how-so-ever complex. This, we can appreciate, is the most potent potion for remedying the problems of the world riddled with violence, strife and terrorism. Conclusion - In this essay we have tried to examine the problems that give rise to conflict and consequent disputes, wars, armed uprising, insurgency, terrorism and strife in general. We identified the political, economic, ideological and egocentric reasons for such disharmonious state of affairs. When we examined all these issues JAINISM AND WORLD-PEACE : 351

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