World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 936

(a) abstaining from killing,
(b) abstaining from lying,
(c) abstaining from stealing,
(d) abstaining from sensuality, and
(e) abstaining from intoxication, wants to establish global peace.
Jainism emphasizes on non-violence - Ahimsa. The principle of Ahimsa implies respect for all living beings including all life forms. Ahimsā is renouncing hatred, cultivating compassion towards all life forms. It is not just a theory, but way of life. All living beings have right to live on earth, it is not just monopoly of human beings. As a way of life, Ahimsa promotes an attitude of tolerance, of live and let live. Jainism firmly believes that global peace can be established through non-violence. It is not negative principle, but positive doctrine of love and friendship, equanimity and fraternity amongst all living beings of the universe. "I have friendship with all, enemity with none". [Maitri me sarvabhuteṣu] declares the Lord Mahavira. It is said in Jaina religious text that in happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard all creatures as we regard our own self, and should therefore, refrain from inflicting upon others such injury as would appear undesirable to us if inflicted upon ourselves [Yogaśāstra].
Sikhism says, we all are children of same One God. Only in the name of Lord we find peace. As thou deemest thyself so deem others. Then shall thou become a partner in heaven [Kabir].
Key place is given in peace in Christianity. It says always treat others as you would like them to treat you, that is the meaning of Law [Mt. 7: 12]. Jesus praises the promoters of peace by saying that 'Happy the peacemakers they shall be called sons of God' [Mt. 5:9] Jesus himself often gave his disciples the peace greetings: peace be with you' [cf. In. 14: 27]. Christianity also preaches to love our neighbour as ourselves.
Islam means surrender to Almighty, surrender to peace. Quran says 'No one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself. In Islam 'peace' i.e. Salaam is one of the nineteen beautiful names of God. When Muslims greet another, at the time of prayer in daily life, they offer to their neighbour these divine qualities by saying Al-salaam-alayakum-i.e. peace be with you. Quran says God summons people to the 'abode of peace', [daral-salam] both in this life and life hereafter [Quran 10:26]. Mercy, compassion and peace are familiar concepts in the Quran. Some fundamentalists are misinterpreting and misusing the term Jihad. Jihad is taken popularly to mean holy war. But the experts tell us that, this is not the original Islamic sense of the
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