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Some Aspects of lodian Culture
gether exclude the objective side of ethics also, Such a formulation and application of the principle of Ahirsā has sure visible effects in other fields also. Kings who came under the influence of Jainism granted protection to different forms of life by law. It fostered vegetarianism and mitigated the rigour and ruthlessness of the criminal law, prescribing capital punishment for few crimes. To sum up, it contributed a great deal in its own way towards humanising the society. Jainism recog. nizes that Karma by itself and without the intervention of any outside agency, divine or mundane, is adequate to explain the whole world of experience and thus to throw on the inivdidual himself the whole burden of responsibility for what he thinks, speaks and does. The theory of Karma gives absolute religious independence and freedom to an individual. Nothing can interfere with his activities and it is, therefore, the doer who has solely to experience the result, good or bad. It thus saved the individual from being victimized by the autocratic and despotic sections of the society. Syādvada teaches one the art of looking at the other point of view. In Mahavira's day it removed unnecessary controversies, created an atmosphere of tolerance and gave an overall picture of the Supreme Truth.
Mahavira's contribution is distinctly this. He preached : all are potentially capa. ble of attaining perfection. No divine favour is required for this. One is solely responsible for what one does, speaks and thinks. Merit and not the birth is the deter. minant of his status in society. Inherent ability ani not the sex is the stand for admission into the Orber, Snorifice of the animal is to b: substituted by the sacrifice of the brute self, The means is not justified by the end; Mahāvira's Sangha was open to all, irrespective of cats, colour, and sec. Mortify the flesh to develop the Spirit,' he declared. He delivered his message in the tongue of the people. He att acked aristocratic aloofness and Mystifying secrecy of other thinkers of the day. In a nutshell Mahāvira undertook to work out and propagate a veritable spiritual democracy in the form of Jainism.
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