Lord Mahavira and His Teachings

Author(s): Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi
Publisher: Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi

Page 62

Lord Mahavira and His Teachings
devote his time for public good. People engaged in independent professions such as lawyers, doctors, merchants, engineers, etc., must retire, when they reach the limits fixed for them and thus give room for others to earn. Dig-vrata and Desha-vrata, limiting one's activities, within certain prescribed directions and within certain boundaries in a country and abstaining from the use of things got from beyond the limits or sending things to such places, also contribute in a way to mitigate economic difficulties. It is expected of every well-to-do person to give abhayadana, the gift of fearlessness to all those who are afflicted with fear as to, "What shall we eat, where shall we stay, and with what shall we cover ourselves ?” The sacred books say that on the day when the Blessed Lord Bhagavan Mahavira renounced the world, He distributed His great wealth among the needy and the indigent. The Bhudana and the Sampattidana movements launched and conducted by Acharya Vinoba Bhave go a long way to solve the economic difficulties. "Live and let live", is the formula offered by Jainism. Kshnemam sarvaprajanam, “may all people be happy", is the daily prayer of the Jainas.
Diseases : It is the opinion of the common people that in proportion to advancement of civilization and the new methods of living, the number of diseases also has increased. No doubt scientific research has eliminated the threat of death from infectious diseases. But still there are instances of cases which baffle even expert medical men. And the treatment of some of the diseases is so costly that it is beyond the reach of the common many. Aushadha-dana, gift of medi