Book Title: Religion Practice and Science of Non Violence
Author(s): O P Jaggi
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt Ltd

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Page 129
________________ CONCLUSION Aggression and violence-like hunger and sex—is an instinct A present in all living beings, animals or vegetables. Throw more seeds in a piece of land than it has the capacity to grow and nourish; you would see the aggression and fight amongst the plants for the nutrients from the soil and the air; the plants elbow each other out to reach for the light of the sun. "Survival of the fittest" is also the rule in the animal kingdom and most of the time, the fittest is also the strongest. Aggression and violence is in the nature of man as well. This is one of the instincts in him. Together with the instincts of hunger and sex, it serves the purpose of nature: the propagation of the species. Without the instinct of aggression and violence, man cannot survive the forces of nature. But there is a limit beyond which aggression defeats its own purpose. If it exceeds that limit, it becomes destructive. In the above example of the seeds and the field, the fight amongst the plants to reach for the sources of nutrition, leads to production of lesser number of smaller grains and that also of a poorer quality. And if the struggle is very severe, the plants may exhaust themselves before they produce any seed at all. This causes total destruction. The same is the case with man. A certain amount and quality of aggression is essential for his survival and progress. More of it is detrimental for his very existence and that of his society. This has been observed and pondered over by the sages and wise men since ancient times. That is why they devised methods to curb the violence of man. Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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