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JAINISM AND ITS POWER TO STOP HUMAN WARFARE*
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Salutation to the Founder of the Science of Religion:
Âdi Puruşa Âdisa JINA Âdi Subuddha Karatara Dharma Dhurandhara Parama GURU Namaun Adi Avatara,
(Tr. --Salutation to the First Divinity Incarnate, the First Perfect
Man, the Lord of Jinas (Conquerors(, the First Most Excellent Arranger of things, the Supporter of Dharma
(Religion) and the Supreme Teacher. Brethren and Sisters, or as you have it in the West, Ladies and Gentlemen :
I am happy to have this opportunity of delivering the great Jaina Message of Peace and Love to the present distinguished gathering of thoughtful women and men, in this great cosmopolitan rendezvous of nations, and I like to take this opportunity of thanking Madame Benigni who has so kindly made the necessary arrangements for today's lecture. Now, as you know, the subject of rny lecture is Jainism and its power to put a stop to human warfare. We all remember the awful times through which the world passed during the recent great war. That was fought out, so some people thought and so everybody said at the time, to secure peace. That horrible war ended about eight years ago, but we have seen nothing of the peace that we fought so furiously to secure ! On the contrary, the atmosphere is as hostile to peace to-day as it was when the war came. We still have the same old ideals, the same lust of power and acquisition, the same unhealthy rivalries between nations that had turned the world into so many armed encampments, ready to burst into a huge conflagration at any moment, on the least provocation. There is no difference in the treatment uf the weaker nations by the stronger ones; there is no change in the angle of vision of the statesmen of the great nations : there is no slackening of the rush for armaments and the cult of destructive power. In short, the war that was fought out has
* A lecture delivered before “Le Trait d'Union” Society at Nice.
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