________________
76: Śramana, Vol 62, No. 2 April-June 2011
one's belongings can never attain liberation29. So Jaina community is aware of this fact, that's why so many schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, clinics, cow-shelter (goshālā), home for orphans (anāthālaya), re-orphanages are opened for the service of the common man. Various blood camps, free eye checkup camps and health check-up camps are held and donation of legs, hands, hearing tools are made for the needy common man free of cost with the service motive. It is carried through out India by nearly 500 active centres of Jaina community.
Although similar concepts of social sharing are discussed in the Islamic culture, in the name of Zokat i.e. each Muslim should share 1/5th of his annual income for the needy person. Even in Christianity, such moral injections for social service is found. But as far as Jaina concept of vatsalya or universal brotherhood is concerned, it has deeper meaning rather than merely helping the needy. There are twelve vows prescribed for the householders, the last one is atithi-saṁvibhāga-vrata. This vow is prescribed to develop a sense of detachment and at the same time mutual help for the brothers. Puniya, the layman of the time of Mahāvīra although he was very poor, still daily he used to manage to share his one time food with his brother remaining himself hungry to obey the twelfth vow of householders 30.
So such a person can never try to exploit the workers, working under him either by taking over work or by paying least amount of salary. Where there is vatsalya, there is no exploitation. To treat other individuals as mere means is denied in Jainism. All the dealings with others will be inspired by love and affection, due to this, role of force and domination will be minimized31. In the atmosphere of vatsalya, the gap between the leader and workers is stitched, in any organization. This concept of universal brotherhood and belief in single global family can establish ecofriendly life on the earth.
