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Lord Mahavira : A Revolutionary
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Penance
Mahâvîra always advocated panance. At the same time, he also entered his caveats. As Sadhaka he led a very hard life, and underwent severe penance. He declared : "Bodily afflictions, if borne with perseverance, lead to emancipation.” This did not mean that he voluntarily inflicted injuries on his body. He was against such penances as dissipate peace and tranquility of mind. He was emphatic that those who did penance only for material benefits or to satisfy this or other worldy craving, they rensack their own soul. These should be abandoned. Those who expose themselves to the hot sun, stand in water for days together, or torture their body by mutilating it, are ignorant people. They do not know reality. Torturing, even when the pain is calmly suffered, adversely affects the mind and fills it with arrogance. This is the sure way to destruction. Any penance which involves or unsettles the mind is in reality violence, and not penance.
While Lord Mahâvîra was once passing through a forest, he became alone, as his disciples were somewhat left behind. He caught sight of a man hanging himself upside down from a tree. On the four sides fires were burning. On the top, the sun was shining hot a huge crowd was watching the scene. Mahâvîra stopped and made enquiries about the man. He was informed of the man's severed penances and the bodily tortures he had been bearing since very long. Mahâvîra smiled and said, “Brothers ! Try to find out the truth. Bodily tortures never lend to emancipation. Penance should be solely directed towards self-realisation. I say unto you:
(1) Do not practise penance to gain material prosperity in
this world. (2) Do not practise penance to gain material prosperity in
the future world. (3) Do not practice penance for fame and renown. (4) Perform penance only for the purification of the soul, for
self-realisation. Mahâvîra as Revolutionary
It is often said that Mahâvîra was not a revolutionary, but merely propagated the principles which were taught from old
