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Mahavira: A Non-violent Revolutionary
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to the Vedic words as last words, was itself divided into many schools of thought as we have already noted. Mahavira's task was to evolve a complete synthesis of those different schools and to put the whole line of thinking into a sound and organised basis. This he did by the theory of Nayavāda and Syadvada, which gave its due place to every line of thinking. When a proper time came, and after he himself got the realization of the truth, he moved from place to place and like a whirlwind, took every body who counted in the society under his powerful influence, which was solidified by organising the Jaina Sangha into four sections of monks, nuns, male and female householders, by appointing different heads of each and sending emissaries of faith to different parts of the country. He himself was a powerful speaker. He spoke to people in parables and in their own language breaking the monopoly of the knowledge of Samskṛta. People appreciated this very much. They were made to participate in religious discourses. In his age, Mahavira was the first to give a fatal blow to the notions of Brahmanical superiority and caste distinctions based on birth as he declared:
कम्मुणा बंभणो होइ, इसे कम्मुणा होइ,
कम्मुणा होइ खत्तिओ । सुद्दो हवइ कम्मुणा ||
Uttaradhyayana-sūtra, 25/33. "One is a Brahmin by action, a Kṣatriya by action, a Vaisya by action and a Sūdra also by action."
He interpreted Vedas and showed that real sacrifice is the sacrifice of one's baser instincts and not the sacrifice of innocent creatures. He declared that each soul is its own master, and it is not in hands of any god to make you really happy in this life or in the next. Your real enemy, he said, is not outside you and you are the author of your own happiness and misery.
अप्पा कत्ता विकत्ता य, दुहाण य सुहाण य । अप्पा मित्तममित्तं च दुपट्ठिय सुपट्ठिओ ||
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Ibid, 20/37.
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