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Why We Remember Mahavira
171 To destroy arms, however, is not enough. We must destroy the need for arms. For this, mankind must create an atmosphere, an environment, a rational society, where exploitation and violence, the major causes of tension and friction, are not only outlawed but eliminated. For this we have to create a new order of society based on the principles of ahimsa and aparigraha.
Let us ponder for a moment how the teaching of Lord Mahâvîra can help us in this. Ratnatraya, the three gems of Lord Mahâvîra's teachings are : samyak darsana, right faith, samyak inana, right knowledge, and samyak caritra, right conduct The last includes the five vows: (i) ahimsa, non-injury (either physical or mental) to all living beings ; (ii) satya, truthfulness; (iii) asteya, non-stealing; (iv) brahmacarya, self-control; and (v) aparigraha, abstention from greed. The test of ail religion is caritra, conduct. We shall be judged by our conduct. It is of no avail if our ideals are good while our life and conduct are not good. The Need To Put Ideals Into Practice
If we study Lord Mahâvîra's life and teachings dispassionately we realize that society can be improved only with the improvement of the individuals. From Gandhi's life too we also learn that exemplary conduct makes an impact on the masses, and not verbose lectures.
Rampant corruption, nepotism, and favouritism are eating away the vitals of the Indian nation. Yet unfortunately this fundamental question is receiving little attention from the leaders of our society. Failure to lay stress on the importance of caritra has brought us to a dangerous point. When we merely talk of ideals, but do not adopt them in practice we forget that it is not our outer conduct but the inner life which matters. As Dr. Radhakrishnan so often reminded us, sensitive and informed minds believe that the fundamental need of the world, far deeper than any social, political or economic readjustment, is a spiritual reawakening--a recovery of faith. 'Great movements of spirit arise when despair at the üreakdown of civilization makes the mind susceptible of the recognition of the insufficiency of the existing order and the need for rethinking about its foundations and shifting its bases. Science with its new prospect of a possible liquidation of the world by man's own wanton interference reminds us of the
