Vijyanandsuri Swargarohan Shatabdi Granth

Author(s): Navinchandra Vijaymuni, Ramanlal C Shah, Shripal Jain
Publisher: Vijayanand Suri Sahitya Prakashan Foundation Pavagadh

Page 890

we have developed a totally materialistic and selfish outlook.
The advancement in all the walks of life and knowledge has not sublimated our animal and selfish nature. The animal instinct lying within us is still forceful and is dominating our individual and social behaviour and due to this our life is full of excitements, emotional disorders and mental tensions. The more advanced a nation is, more it is in the grip of these evils of our age. The single most specific feature by which our age may be characterised is that of tension. Now-a-days not only the individuals, but total human race is living in tension.
Though outwardly we are pleading for peace and non-violence, yet by heart we still have a strong faith in the law of the jungle, i.e. the dictum-might is right. We are living for the satisfaction of our animal nature only, though we talk of higher social and spiritual values; this duality or the gulf between our thought and action is the sole factor disturbing our inner as well as outer peace. Once the faith in higher values or even in our fellow beings is shaken we start seeing each and every person, or a community or a nation with the eyes of doubt. Definitely it is the sign of a disturbed mentality.
Because of materialistic and mechanical outlook our faculty of faith has been destroyed and when the mutual faith and faith in higher values of co-operation and co-existence is destroyed, doubt takes place. The doubt causes fear, fear gives birth to violence and violence triggers violence. The present violence is the result of our materialistic attitude and doubting nature. The most valuable thing, human race has lost in the present age, is none other than peace.
Science and technology has given us all the amenities of life. Though due to the speedy advancement in science and technology nowadays life on earth is so luxurious and pleasant that it was never before, yet because of the selfish and materialistic outlook, and doubting nature of man, which we have developed in these days, no body is happy and cheerful. We are living in tension all the times and deprived of, even a pleasant sound sleep. The people, materially more affluent having all the amenities of life, are more in the grip of tensions. Medical as well as psychological reports of advanced nations confirm this fact. Tendency to consume alchohalic and sedative drugs is increasing day by day, which also supports this fact that we have lost our mental peace, at the cost of
Jaina Concept Of Peace
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