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Pancasila
[ 153
tradition, only that person who has practiced Ahimsa fully and has taken that doctrine to its highest pinnacle is worshipped, while in Vedic tradition that is not so. In that tradition, the person who completely responds to public interest, who follows the accepted social code for the purpose of enforcing the same and who protects the good and destroys an evil at any cost, is worshipped as 'Avatara' (divine in human form). This distinction between the basic approach of both the traditions is very significant. While the former tolerates and faces the worst evil and injustice with generosity but with full spiritual penances, the later resorts to an altogether different method thinking that, however, desirable the method of the former may be in individual cases, the same cannot be successful when applied to the questions involving public interest at large "
"Fact of the matter is that both these traditions are the two facets of an integrated old Aryan culture."
"The doctrine of Ahimsa has the same place in Vedic traditions as in Jaina tradition. However, the difference between the two is that the Vedic tradition treats this doctrine as a means of perfect spiritual upliftment of an individual and hence limits its use for the purpose of individuals only. But so far as its utility for public or social purposes is concerned, it considers violence as necessary in times of peril faced by the society. It is for this reason that we find even in the Vedic literature of Upanisada and Yoga-Darśana which are otherwise great supporters of the Doctrine of Ahimsa, the exhortations like Sathe Sathyam Samacaret' (Tit for Tat) and other instructions as to how social life should be conducted."
"On the other hand in any society - big or small complete observation of the doctrine of non-violence is not possible and, therefore, even in the Jaina literature we come across violent battles, having been fought even by monks, who have renounced the world, under special circumstances."
"In spite of all this, the basic difference between the Jaina approach and Vedic approach on this question has always
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