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SHREE CHITRABHANU
L.M.: Definitely, it does seem that way.
S.C.: But we are evolving.
L.M.: The Jain teachings are fairly unique in advising that all followers should be vegetarian.
S.C.: That is why I think it shall be a sustaining idea for the twenty-first century. For those who want to excel themselves in the journey to perfection and excellence, this must be something positive. Jainism has no violence, or negativity. It does not believe in any dogma—in the name of religion. I am not very religious. Religion has done a lot of wars, killing, and judgment. They have burned people alive in the name of religion, such as Joan of Arc. And people now go on discriminating that: You are this, or you are that. The moment religion comes, we separate each other.
So I don't believe in religion. With Jainism, it's a beautiful idea that you practice. I don't think there is any need to be dogmatic. I don't ask anybody to become a Jain, because to convert someone is an act of physical violence. You are forcing somebody with your ideas. But life is life. Let it understand what is good for it, what is healthy for it. The three stages of life are: the animal, which wants to good; the human being, who wants to do good; and the divine, who wants to be good. So we become good—that is divinity. Not, we want to do good; that is human endeavor. If you are good, whatever you do will be good.
L.M.: It is your own nature, that you have found that.
S.C.: The sun is light, so it gives light. The flower is fragrant, so it gives you fragrance.
L.M.: Doing naturally what its nature is.
S.C.: So then, go to your nature. But sometimes we appear bad. That is because of our conditions, our conditioning. Not because of our nature. It may be a condition of karma; a condition of the past life; a condition of the parents, or a condition of society. We are nothing but a product of the various conditions. Still, we do know of another way. When we find it, we can slowly break these many conditions.
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