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Mahavir's greatest contribution was to articulate with great clarity, comprehension and thrust the wide-ranging vision and definition of Ahimsa. He transformed the concepts of Oneness of all Creation and the doctrine of LIVE AND LET LIVE into compassionate life ethics. Integrating practice of non-violence simultaneously in thought, expression and action was a challenging task both for the individuals as well as the society as a whole. Mahavir felt that without such an integrated approach, the culture of nonviolence would not become all pervasive. American Jain scholar Michael Tobias has very aptly observed that in no other religion, has thought and action been so intricately merged into a unity of behavior. It may perhaps be easier to curb physical violence (DRAVYA HIMSA), but it is far more difficult to control violent instincts, thoughts, intentions and expressions (BHAVA HIMSA). Anger, pride, ego, vanity, deceit, greed, suspicion, fear, revenge, cruelty, malice, hatred, hostility are all constituents of violence in attitude, thought and behavior. By contrast, non-violence is equated with attributes such as peace, compassion, piety, sympathy, harmony, faith, fraternity, fearlessness, forgiveness, tolerance, generosity and mutual supportiveness. In one word, Jain concept of Ahimsa represents all virtues and the concept of violence all the vices. It boils down to a choice between the good and the evil. Jainism has been rightly described as a “philosophy of biological ethics and spiritual ecology”. Deeply influenced and inspired by Mahavir's teachings, Mahatma Gandhi came to believe in the courage and potency of nonviolence. He observed:
“No religion of the world has explained the principle of non-violence as deeply and systematically in its applicability to life as Jainism,”
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A Portrait of Jain Religion
Jain Education International
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