Lessons of Ahimsa and Anekanta for Contemporary Life

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

Page 41

Lessons of Ahimsā and Anekānta for Contemporary Life
To expect that such individuals violate some of their vows and highly restrictive principles for a momentary threat or problem posed against a local community would be to break the trust between the lay and mendicant members of the community as well as undermine the greater good that is expected to be generated from the monks' efforts toward liberation.
Mahāvīra taught ahimsā to all. As more people reach the state of true vision (samyak-darśana) and move to higher gunasthānas (stages of spiritual awakening), the chances of greater world peace will increase and overall sentiments of aggression and suffering will decrease. One might postulate that the mendicants work on a different, more fundamental level in dealing with aggression as expressed in terrorism. To reduce terrorism in the world, they operate at the spiritual level of purifying the general atmosphere, calming aggressive passions and changing selfish attitudes.
Finally, it should be noted as a point of clarification that Jaina mendicants are not oblivious to problems in the world nor do they turn their back on the changing needs of the lay community that supports them. The only real difference is that they cannot and will not intentionally hurt another living being, regardless of how evil and despicable a terrorist may be. Nevertheless, there is nothing that would prevent the mendicant from participating in nonviolent, passive-resistant demonstrations against tyranny or injustice; but, ultimate they have to stop just short of the option of violence in stopping aggression.
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