________________
93
Vol XXII, 1998
IMPACT OF JAINISTIC PERCEPTIONS ON SOCIETY
being organised Population growth faster is being tackled medically All these steps are being taken unconscious of Jinistic principles of (1) checking available use of natural resources (u) limiting wants (u) restricted celibacy and, of course, non-violence The principle of animism and reverence for life is coming to practice which is an indirect impact of these principles How best it could have been if these principles would have been taken into account while industrial progress was under development There are nearly seven vows and practices which are advocated by the Jainas in this direction
People can argue 'religion has nothing to do in these matters' However, if it is the way of life for socialisation and welfare of society, any issue interferring in this objective has to be tackled by its perceptions. The above Jama perceptions are specifically important for ecological balance One should try to take as much from mother earth as much it could regenerate The Jaina Declaration on Nature' (1990) is an effort to promote this objective worldwide This problem could not go critical if these perceptions are followed with resolve The man has been guilty of neglect of them specially in increasing population in geometrical proportion Though it seems that religious seers have not proved to be powerful enough to subdue the matenal scientists but one feels the man would have to turn back to seek refuge in religious injunctions like the physicists now turning towards metaphysics in their theonsation Tobias has nghtly said that Jinistic injunctions are a little Switzerland in this turbulent environment
(F) Philosophy
The Jaina system is noted for its non-extremist middle course philosophical concepts because of its mental, vocal and physical triad of non-violence It prefers a naturalistic trend over any supernatural one That is why, it does not have creator God concept so that a man could become master of his own destiny by his own efforts The major Jaina philosophical concepts are based on the principle of non-absolutism It has proved to be more realistic than theoretical only It has relativistic approach It has devised its perceptions on the basis of physical and psychical, physical and modal real and ideal aspects of any issue The scientific theory of Relativity and its later developments have verified. the correctness of this philosophical concept experimentally This concept has a heavy impact on the mould of the society, politicians and economists who have to look into the welfare of all The scholars have verified it statistically and superpositionally 10 This inculcates the capacity to develop an attitude of liberalism, tolerance and harmony in thoughts and actions and creation of
