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W. GEORGE TROTT
without mcrit unless it has behind it the teaching of alimsā laid down by the omniscient Lord Mahavira.
The aim of politics, as indeed with all right human aims, is the well-being and happiness of cycry member of the community. People cannot be contented, either in themselves or with each other, unless they possess the habit of mind which excrcises forbearance, trust, mercy, tolerance and the like. Where do we find these qualitics? Only in the soul which is fortified by religion and the true spirit of ahimsā.
The Lord Mabāvīm, by his great power and soul-force, inspired the soula of entire provinces to heights of pure love, peace, understanding and joy unknown in this world since the days of the preceding Tirthankara, Lord Parshvanātha. Poverty, fear, mis-understandings, envy, lust were all swept away by the awesome vibrations of his magnetic soul. The sight of the Tuthankara is a sufficient answer to the question where is happiness? His teachings constitute the way of Liberation, and are the greatest of all contributions to human welfare. Hts footprints-for all to follow-lead to Nirvana, where the saul lives eternally in perfection of Joy, perception, knowledge and power.
In a comparatively few years time, the writer of these words and all who read them, will be gone from this world, to be born again somewhere, and again to die And 60 it will go on, life after lifc, endless upleba, we make up our minds to believe in the way of Liberation, to learn and acquire knowledge of it, and then to take action to carry out the eternal principles. This opportunity may not come our way again for thousands of lives, may be for millions of years, because remember the soul is eternal Only in a rare human incaranation does one come across the truth, and even then, many are the difficulties which beset our faith and practice, Even tomorrow may be too late.
Lord Mabävira was born in 599 B.C. At the age of thirty years he abandoned the life of the world and became an ascetic. Twelve years later the food of omnicience swept away for ever the bonds of karma, and his soul perceired all things in space and time.
During the thirty years following, when Mahavira was a world-teacher, he proclaimed the truth that man is the master of bis own destiny-the Jina or conqueror. To refrain from killing and injuring is the only true religion. The foes to be conquered are the four passions of anger, pride, deceit and greed, wbich are present in the soul. The greatest gift that man can make to bis fellow-men and the lower creatures is the gift of protection and safety, that they shall come and go without barm or interference.
To cease causing injury or death to living creatures-this is abimsā, the highest religion. Ahimsa 13 the way of liberation.
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