Lessons of Ahimsa and Anekanta for Contemporary Life

Author(s): Tara Sethia
Publisher: California State Polytechnic University Pomona

Page 37

Lessons of Ahimsā and Anekānta for Contemporary Life
It goes without saying that “ideally” any member of the Jaina community would prefer to resolve any conflict, including terrorism in a peaceful nonviolent fashion and by embracing a pacifist approach to the problem. Such an approach may incorporate the type of passive resistance methods employed by Gandhi and embraced by Muni Nyāyavijayajī, who is quoted earlier in the paper. However, in confronting with a megalomaniac, pathological serial killer like Adolph Hitler of Nazi Germany, Osama bin Laden of al-Qaida, Shoko Asahara of Aum Shinrikya, or Prabhakaran of the Liberation Tigers, the Jaina may seriously wonder if there is any nonviolent means to arrest such violent and destructive propensity. Terrorist Arguments and Jaina Response: Conclusion
This paper initially offered two arguments – utilitarian and relativist -- intended to give moral and rational grounds for terrorist acts. We are now in a position to provide a probable response to these lines of argumentation. An analysis of Utilitarian argument from the Jaina perspective would result in finding fault with this line of thinking. Fundamentally, the Jaina would say that an injustice or wrong cannot be "fixed” by resorting to the killing of a large number of people, especially innocent noncombatants which are the usual recipient of terrorist attacks. A Jaina position would question whether violence is the only means to reverse injustices and oppression, especially given such world-wide global “overseers” as the United Nations that can be appealed to remedy a bad situation. Clearly, the slaying of thousands of innocent beings can never be the means to an end,
East. If these leaders had taken notice of the Jaina prioritization of calming the mind and removing the passions that distort and cause ignorance in their perspective on life, then there might arise a real long-range solution to the tension between the two states which ultimately will reduce if not remove the terrorist threat faced by the United States. No doubt this is easier said then done given the years of dedicated spiritual practices required to progress the mind to this stage, but some effort toward those ends would be a start toward addressing these issues with a cooler mind with a broader perspective on its problems. Even being aware of those distorting psychological influences could help one to be aware of them and try to reduce their dominance in the minds of administration officials.
For Private & Per 30 al Use Only