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PRAGAMATIC RELEVANCE OF JAINISM
IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Motilal Jain, Sagar A Jain is always deemed and distinguished as one who would identify his/her own real self with his/her Soul, as all other components are quite transient. Too, he/she regards all living creatures, however big or small, at par in terms of the inherent and instinctive right to survival and comfort.
Aware of the Attributes of the Soul, a Jain regards it indestructible which enjoys eternal and contineous existence. It is however bound and destined to live in physical bodies that are born and grow to culmination and gradually mallow by age and die when the Soul quite the body worn of age and/or disease. It transmigrates to another body, of whatever life form, to be born soon; and the cycle of bodily or earthly life & death continues inceasantly, fuelled and propelled by the continual incurrence of 'Karmas' consequent upon the nature of thoughts and actions of the creature wearing that Soul. Each creature in its instinctive struggle to secure survival and comfort in a competitive world of finite and limited (and now fast depleting) physical bases of survival and comfort is prone to violate the equally inherent and valid right of other creature to survival and comfort. Violation or infringement of the equal right of all creature at the hands of a creature constitutes Violence which incurs ill or negative ‘Karmas' to the creature's Soul, while the maticulous care to refrain from such thought and action, even at the cost of some of one's own comforts, and instead striving to save other creatures from pain discomfort and sorrow or death is Nonviolence and Kindness, which incurs positive or virtuous ‘Karmas'.
An abiding and unflinching faith in the equal right of all creatures including all life forms of the living world constitutes the most fundamental tenet of Jainism; and a sincere compliance or otherwise therewith decides the viceous or the virtuous 'Karmas' consequent upon them. Each creature has to inevitably suffer or enjoy the 'Karmas; so incurred by it in the course of securing its survival and comfort. Therefore, a pious Jain way of life is rather very stringent and maticulous in refraining from causing the slighest pain or suffering to any creature, however small, in one's thought and action.
In the struggle for existence and comfort it is the stronger or otherwise more capable who are more likely to commit violence on the weaker ones. Among all creatures Man has come to be the most dominant by far-in fact a category apart-and rest of the world has been relegated to his life support; and diversified his needs and expectations. Buoyant and arogant with their superior technology and organisation, the more advanced countries of the recent past have enthralled the world and devoured its resources, and have taken to a life style of consumptionism epitomised as "Eat, drink, and be merry”. They have not only prepetrated incalculable torture to the entire biotic world, but have recklessly devastated and emaciated the natural resources base of most parts of the world. Innumerable animals are now butchured, sometimes with abominable cruelity, not only for dire needs of food and clothing but more for sheer entertainment and amusement. Now hunting the poor helpless animals for sheer pleasure and vanity is called 'Game'. Ah, what a civilized and human 'Game' indeed! Many problems today and the impending environmental doom tomorrow are the direct consequences of this rude and reckless exploitation of nature and of the lavish consumptionism, leaving but a devastated and emaciated resources base and alarmingly polluted environment.
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