Studies in Jainism

Author(s): Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta
Publisher: Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta

Page 120

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REFLECTIONS ON AŅUVRATA
111 The aim is a threefold one :(a) to exhort people universally to observe self-restraint,
which may be likened, in a way, to the Aristotlean golden mean. But, in a way, not fully. For the directive
seems to be : covet the minimum. (b) to establish the values of friendship, unity, peace
and true morality'. The first three go together inasmuch as true friendship implies unity and in unity there cannot be any conflict. And peace follows as a natural corollary. Perhaps the last one morality stands a little apart, but at the same time, goes hand - in - hand with the first three. For friendship - fraternity cannot be forged by any bond of immorality, and if endeavoured to be forged, it can never be a unity. A gang of dacoits or highwaymen can at best a union, but never a unity. So cannot be a political clique or coterie. For that purpose an ethical bond is necessary. This is emphasized in Plato's search for philosopher kings and in our own
Rajadharma as well as in the Prajādharma. A society based on values like fraternity, unity and peace has to be non-violent for the reason that it has to discard its acquisitve character. Violence arises out of conflicts of self-interest. If fraternal unity is forged ipso facto nonviolence emerges. If my wife and I make a unity, she cannot do any violence to me; nor, for that purpose, can I. Anuvrata wants to extend the principle to the entire mineral world though in a modified form.
MEANS : Means should be as noble as the end itself, asserted the teachers of humanity like Socrates and Gandhi. For the individual it demands a twofold revolution : intellectual and behavioural. Intellectually, he has to realize the value and efficacy of small vows - Aņuvrata, and then to win converts to it. The second aspect is as important as the first one inasmuch as Aņuvrata is intended to be a social philosophy of action, not just an individual code of conduct.
The converts will have to be converts in full - fully believing in the doctrine of Aņuvrata as a pragmatic