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The Path of Arhat : A Religious Democracy
persisted. And it is this, that the Jaina tradition believes that every type of violence whether at individual level or at social level, is the sign of spiritual weakness and hence whenever violence is required to be used, it is a matter of atonement. On the other hand, though the Vedic tradition is in agreement with the Jaina tradition so far as the observation of Ahinsa at individual level concerned, it is clear in 1 claiming that whenever social or public issues are concerned, it is wrong to believe violence is always a sign of spiritual weakness. On the contrary, in special circumstances in public life violence is not only necessary but is also a sign of strength and hence no question of atonement arises."
Though, as will be presently seen, Jainism is not against the use of violence if it becomes inevitable, the analysis of Pt. Sukhalalaji is logically perfect because, as we shall have an occasion to discuss elsewhere, the Jaina philosophy, being on the line of 'Sramana' traditions, is based on the principle of 'Nivịtti', i, e., 'retirement, while the Vedic philosophy is based on the principle of 'Pravștti', i. e., 'activity. One aiming at total retirement from worldly affairs would necessarily have an individual approach while the one who aims at activity would necessarily have a social approach. Both the approaches are necessary in life so long as one lives in the society, but a stage comes in the life of everyone when he has to retire fully from all worldly activities social as well as individual, in which event, his approach would be only individual. That individual approach being purely spiritual, does not conflict with social or public interests --- contrarily it supplements social interests. Even Vedic tradition is conscious about this as is clear from its conceptions of 'Grhasthaśrama' (Stage of a house-holder ) and final 'Samnyástháśrama' (Stage of total renunciation ) in the life of a man. Thus basically, the apparent distinction which is pointed out by Pt. Sukhalālaji?, fades into insignificance.
1. Pt. Sukhalalaji is of the opinion that Samnyāsthāśrama
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