Mahavira Life and Philosophy

Author(s): Sumeruchand Diwakar Shastri
Publisher: Jain Mitra Mandal

Page 94

and compassion, the way of service and not of selfishness."
The sensible and soberminded embrace the sublime path of love all, serve all. If this Divine ideal is implanted in every heart and faithfully followed, the climate of this turbulent globe will become healthy and glorious in no time.
From the aesthetic point also the call of compassion is valuable and worthy of approbation. Jawaharlal Nehru's words are interesting, “Life would become very dull and odourless, if we do not have these magnificent animals and birds to look at and play with."
Jain thinkers fully understand the difficulties which come in the way of the practice of complete non-violence, since life is impossible without dest. ruction of innumerable small insects. The life of a tyrant and a selfish short-sighted person has been condemned.
There are various grades for the practice of this noble principle. The novice should abandon Intentional injury to the vitalities of other creatures. If there is no 'Mens real-guilty intention, one is not adjudicated guilty of violence, e. g., a surgeon care. fully performs an operation with all attention and yet the patient may die. In that case the doctor will not be guilty of the murder of the man, on the other hand the burglar who robs a citizen of his valuables will be punished as a felon because of his evil motive. Motive is the important factor