The Truth

Author(s): O P Jain
Publisher: Veer Nirvan Granth Prakashan Samiti

Page 77

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THE TRUTH
and laws are also necessary, but this sort of artificial control on society is not possible for all times. There is to be an inherent feeling for the necessity of such a social order and a self imposed control, not based on fear of law, but on the conviction that self control is the sạrest way for one's real good--the spiritual uplift. But if socialism is preached in a way that it increases lust for materialistic possessions in the name of rise in living standards, then we are surely creating contradictions e.g., asking people to surrender what is supposed to be good to possess. The present day class conflicts arise due to such policies. The practice of true dharma alone can bring socialism in the real sense. . It will be recalled that among the five vows prescribed for right conduct, one of the vows is Aparigraha e.g., limiting one's possessions and giving the surplus in charity. This is the highest form of socialism and is a pre-requisite for spiritual uplift. There is a tremendous incentive and no fear to follow such a code of conduct. It results in a real and lasting happiness. For real socialism to spread, we must give it a deeper meaning and not merely call it a social order. We must preach hard work, simple living and high thinking to support socialism. All souls are similar basically and they all suffer from the same disease of ignorance and delusion. This is enough reason for a comradeship between them and to have a socialistic way of life.
6.5 Food and Vegetarianism: This is a topic on which much is being said through the Radio and the Press and yet there is no clear thinking. There is no doubt that all living beings need food for survival, till the soul has attained nirvana. A sound mind in a sound body is essential for spiritual development as well as for worldly life and as such the body has to be maintained by giving it suitable food. There are, however, some who live for food and use it for the satisfaction of sensual desires. Obviously it is a vulgar use of food and such persons are so much slave to their passions that they will not even like to hear a discourse as the present one.
It is an unfortunate fact that all essential foods for building the body are obtained from organic sources i.e., life creates this food. This life is either plant life or animal life. In some cases, the food is merely a bye-product of the living being and in other cases, it is the body itself which contained the life. Food, thus, involves questions of relationship between one life and another and is not merely a matter which concerns only an individual and his health. Thus questions of morality, spiritualism, economics and health are all nvolved. : is,