Keynote Address of Dr Sagarmal Jain at Calcutta

Author(s): Mahadeolal Saraogi
Publisher: Mahadeolal Saraogi

Page 27

sets its goal as the ideal of total non-violence,
external
as well as internal, yet the
realisation of this ideal in
Non-violence is
the practical life is by no means easy. a spiritual ideal, which is fully realisable only on the spiritual plane. The real life of an individual is a physiospiritual complex; at this level complete non-violence,
is not possible. A person can proceed towards the fulness of non-violent life only when he rises above the physical
level.
to
All the human beings have an equal right to lead an peaceful life. Though violence is unavoidable, yet it cannot be the directive principle of our living, because it goes against the judgements of our faculty of reasoning and the concept of natural law. If I think that nobody has any right take my life, then on the ground of the same reasoning I also have no right to take another's life. The principle of equality propounds that every one has a right to live. The directive principle of living is not 'Living on others' or 'Living by killing', but 'Living with others' or 'Living for others'.
Though in our world complete non-violence is not possible, yet our motto should be 'Lesser killing is better Living'.
Furthermore, we must be aware of the fact that in Jainism non-violence. is not merely a negative concept 1.e. not to kill; but it has a positive side also, as service Once a question was raised to Mahavira: '0' Lord, is rendering his services to
to mankind.
the
needy
persons,
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one person while the