A Holistic Jain Approach To Peace
With Special Reference To Non-Violence And The Role Of Women
By Mrs. Raksha Shah
Presentation made at the Fourth Parliament of Worlds Religions-Spain Barcelona-2004
History stands testimony to the fact that the 20th century has been an era of wars, unrest and wrath, with bloodshed, conflicts between nations and the terror of terrorism-that has doddered each heart living in apprehension in this dangerous and critical situation .The lure and pursuit of material pleasures has set the human race on the path of reckless exploitation. There is agony over the state of the world and the real tragedy is the plight of defenseless civilians, especially women and children, who fall a victim to the most ferocious and rampant onslaught, rape, torture, bull-dozing, mutilation of limbs, murder by firing squads and burgundy .The awe of weapons has been replaced by the horrendous chemical and bio-chemicals wars that has alarmed each soul and made life more dreadful than ever! What could be the reason behind such vehement acts?
Truly enough, they are the outcome of the evil thought-process brought into innocent minds by selfish power-mongers - the few whose only aim is to amass wealth, be the masters of the inanimate world, little realizing, that this momentary happiness is temporary in nature and this avarice can ruin the lives of their kith and kin, the state, the nation and take toll of the entire world.
The so called modern man in an era of science and technological progress appears to be deeply engrossed in a restless race that yearns him to pile up lifeless material possessions and life taking armaments, little knowing that the so called palace of pleasure is built on the summit of a silent looking volcano which will annihilate all the priceless treasures that have been bestowed by the economic and pragmatic mind in the twinkling of an eye. The fire of animosity and atrocity is burning at the threshold of our homes and we have no other alternative but to combat it.
Mindless terrorism and wars in the name of religion should be eradicated. The human race has to be prevented from the scourge of war that brings untold misery destruction, devastation, and frustration. A holistic approach to peace is the immediate requirement to the dreadful situation What then is peace? Peace, is a relative term that cannot be defined directly. According to my understanding, peace can be defined as:
1) Individual Peace and
2) Peace in Society
Individual Peace : Individual Peace is a state of being in which one's mind is calm and serene. A state when one feels totally relaxed with the absence of causes of unrest like stress, excitement, desire, agony and tension.
Peace in Society : It is a state of co-operative, peaceful co-existence with the development of feeling of tolerance, mutual understanding where each one honors another's view-point, lives and wants others to live for the welfare of all living creatures of the universe in total harmony with a feeling of fraternity and friendliness.
Such a situation cannot be brought about by law-making bodies, government decrees, force and coercion, but by arousing internal consciousness and inculcating feelings of love, compassion, friendliness and equanimity with the one and only aim of service to mankind.
Purpose of The Paper : As a solution to the problems of peace I have tried to highlight as to how the age-old principle of Non-Violence laid down by Lord Mahavira, can help in establishing the long-lost peace in society and how -women can play a vital role in inculcating these values and bringing about awareness alertness and awakening , so that peace, progress and prosperity can be globally restored once again.
Non-Violence : Never before in the history of the world has such a grave situation occurred where people in every nook and corner of the world have been in a disastrous situation, living in fear of death due to unpredictable bomb-blasts and other forms of violence. Life and non-violence are integrally related. Lord Mahavira has called it Universal and everlasting. As a matter of fact, no culture can survive in its absence. It forms the basis of all religions. Not a single religion in the world advocates violence. What then is Non-Violence or Ahimsa?
Acarya Amritchandra in the Purushartha Siddhiupaya defines Ahimsa as,
'The non-appearance of attachments and passions and their appearance as Himsa or Violence.'
The Sixth Chapter of Dasavaikalika Sutra describes Ahimsa as:
'A disciplined behavior towards every living being.'
The Yogasutra of Patanjali pronounces Ahimsa as:
'The absence of violence of all sorts towards all beings at all times.'
The Chhandogyopanishad, Bhagvad Gita, Sankhya, Buddhists have all criticised violence. Also, the Jewish religions, Taoists, Confucianism have all condemned violence of all kinds.
Thus, Ahimsa is neither a rule nor ritual, but a disciplinary act for all people at all times.
The Root Causes of Violence
1. The most significant cause of violence is 'Parigraha', meaning possession. The economic systems today, are based on promoting wants rather than curbing them.
2. The ever-increasing attachment towards materialistic objects.
3. The immense avarice to acquire more and more by fair or foul means.
4. Intolerance towards other religions is also a grave cause.
5. At the social level, pride and craving for power, racial discrimination, communalism, provincial and national prejudice between nations
6. Agitation and turbulence of thoughts derived from conflicting ideas.
7. At the international level, it is the greed for power and territorial expansion, cold wars, arms race.
The Effects of Violence : Violence, in all its forms, induces fear, depression and uncertainty in the minds of people. It weakens one's mental balance, concentration and work efficiency. How can one think of helping the society or the nation when he himself and his family are insecure? This insecurity creates strong dislike, hatred, jealousy and mutual rivalry among individuals. The lure of possessiveness causes disparity, inequality and unrest, which ultimately hinders social, economic, political and religious harmony.
Solutions to World Problems By Means of Non-Violence :
1) As mentioned in the Acaraanga Sutra : All beings love to live, no one likes pain and misery, therefore we must have reverence for life. According to Mahatma Gandhi, if the world adopts Ahimsa of Bhagwan Mahavira, Peace will bless the universe. Nevertheless, he emphasizes that, Non-Violence is not a resignation from all real fighting against wickedness, hence crimes and terrorist acts should not be pardoned.
2) Says Dr. K. C. Sogani, that : The virtues of Non-Violence and aparigraha are capable of establishing universal peace. Therefore if these virtues are understood at the International level, the attitude of non-violence will synchronise. Hence we need to build up a strong and cohesive social structure and put in selfless, on-going effort to work for just and fair international relations and spread the message of peace to remove hatred and malice and thereby totally eradicate the negative thought-process and transform it to positivity.
3) Says Victor Hugo, 'War begins in the minds of men'. The mind is both the master and the slave of the body it lives in, and the mind and body are so intimately interconnected through the nervous system that all the voluntary and involuntary functions of the entire system are affected by it. In other words, the thoughts that occur lead to actions. Hence it is absolutely essential to divert the impure, destructive thoughts to pure, constructive thoughts before it is too late. The outlook of education therefore needs orientation. From the very beginning a strong dislike and hatred for violence should be aroused .The children need to be taught moral lessons of peace, ahimsa, love, empathy, friendliness, compassion and equanimity and made to realize that passions like anger, pride, deceit and discontent are the root causes of unrest hence need to be lessened. Psychologist Mona Nanavati strongly feels that a well-trained mind will go a long way to understand the feelings of others and will help one to be more compassionate.
4) At the political level, mutual rivalry, jealousy, the deep incentive to usurp power should be considerably reduced and no unlawful intention to encroach on others land and property should be encouraged. The power mongers need to understand that the strength and power of non-violence is tremendous and more stable and healthy as compared to the ephemeral power derived from terror and violence.
5) At the social level, malpractices in business, trade and profession for amassing wealth should be blown out. Hoarding should be greatly curtailed. Principles of justice, impartiality should be developed.
6) Strong measures must be taken to curtail the growth of violence on grounds of race, caste, creed etc. All should be treated equally. There should be no injustice towards the weak and suppressed.
7) The subtle aspect of non-violence lies in the change in the inner self of the individual, to strengthen the feelings of peace, fraternity, tolerance, fellow-feeling and equality giving prime importance to reverence for life, vegetarianism, prevention of cruelty to animals and protecting the environment.
8) Intentional injury should be totally avoided, while a tyrant, oppressor or a terrorist should be taken to task. The mischief monger must not be spared, and the laity may use his arms to punish the culprit and scoundrel or such a person who tries to disturb the peace in society.
9) Moral laws should govern the world order. The rights of individuals, the oppressed, weak and minorities should be protected. International economic co-operation must be developed. Duties must be followed religiously.
10) Mere talks at Seminars and Conferences cannot serve any purpose. To overcome the present situation scholars, saints and eminent social and political leaders need to work hand in hand and with the help of media try to promote and propagate the principles throughout the world.
Revolutionaries Who Walked The Path of Ahimsa : In the past, the fierce Kalinga war fought by Emperor Asoka led to tremendous destruction and devastation which left him appalled at the carnage he had unleashed. Horrified by the human capacity to lead to such destruction, he renounced violence completely and embraced the principles of non-violence. This brought him immense peace of mind and helped him divert his energies towards the welfare of society. His inner revolution changed war-cries to a symphony of humanism and 'Service to Mankind' became his religion.
The biggest revolutionary step in following the Ahimsa of Lord Mahavira was taken by Mahatma Gandhi, who single-handedly inspired a whole nation to struggle peacefully for independence through harnessing soul force.
He served as a source of inspiration to a number of leaders across the world, including Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King who fought tirelessly against racial discrimination.
Amongst the lesser-known revolutionaries but well-known for his charity is Jagdusha, a wealthy merchant who left open his granaries to the people when a severe famine broke out in his town, showing his intense reverence for life and love for humanity. Through dialogue and discussion, the great leader Jayprakash Narayan, following the principles of Non-Violence inspired the dacoits of Chambal Valley who put down their weapons.
Thus, the principles of non-violence emphasize that all life is interdependent and therefore we need to take a comprehensive, compassionate and holistic approach to attain
The Role of Women In Acheiving Peace : At the outset, one may wonder why I have selected women as a key solution to the problem of peace and questions may arise in many minds as to what can a women do? I would rather like to counter question, what not can a woman do? We have just talked about inculcating the several principles like Ahimsa, Anekantavada and Aparigraha, but the question is who should take over the task and when and where should it begin? The one and only answer to this question is at home, by none other than the most competent, greatly neglected fairer sex - The Woman.
Yes, the society, the community or a nation cannot solve the persistent grave problems of war and terrorism single-handedly.
Says Kalelkar, Women in fact are not weak. There is no reason why she should be dependant on men. There is no eternal rule that leadership in society should always remain in the hands of men.
Place of Women in Scriptures : 2,600 years back, Lord Mahavira pronounced that women are equal to men in all respects. He admitted and initiated several women like princess Candrabala, and women of many other castes into his order without any caste distinction. In fact, Dr. Hemcandra warned men to beware of women, and emphasized upon the dependency of men to women in all fields of life - in infancy, youth and old age. Moreover, the Vedas, Puranas and the Upanishads have shown women to be the greatest force of nature, a creator of mankind. The Bhagwat Gita also talks about the greatness of women in the tenth Adhayaya. Manu too talks about honoring women. The Aiterya Upanishad shows regards and stresses upon the fact that a child carriers forward the thoughts and manners of his mother. The Satpath Brahmana says that the mother is the childs first teacher, for from the foetal state, the child imbibes the thoughts, words and actions of the mother. In the Naradasmriti Dr. Sunanda Shashtri emphasizes on several rituals being performed by women, like choosing her husband at the 'Swayamavara', giving the daughter in marriage in default of fathers and brothers after the elders tested the 'Grooms' masculinity.
Women in Genetic Science : According to Gynaecologist Dr. Jayesh Sheth, the monthly realease of the specific hormone, Estrogen is responsible for the peculiar feminine nature .It is for this reason that women are very affectionate, loving, tolerant, calm and composed as against the violent, aggressive and criminal nature of men. Adds Dr. Murari Nanavati, that genetic studies too reveal that though men are physically stronger, it is the lady, who is physiologically, psychologically and emotionally stronger and superior to men.
What The UN Security Council Opines : The recent declaration made by the UN Security General states and stresses that there can be no peace and equality without the equal and fair participation of the women in decision-making positions in the UN and that women have an important role to play as equal actors with men in peace negotiations. At the International level too the UN system continues to support and encourage womens involvement in peace making and peace building activity.
It is nevertheless true that because women know the language of suffering, self-control and patience they can redirect the orientation from the domestic arena to the National front with great ease. The most remarkable example of mass participation of women leading to great success is the Satyagraha Movement of the great leader Mahatama Gandhi. At several other instances they have proved their worth in socio-economic affairs, and the religious and political front. A womans zeal, prowess, deep insight, her inborn compassion and tolerance traits and willingness to sacrifice whole-heartedly, gives her an edge over her male counterparts. The selfless service of Florence Nightingale, the sacrifice of Joan of Arc, the dedication of Mother Teresa cannot be forgotten. From all the above description, it is clear that a woman is the most capable, efficient and the most appropriate person to promote PEACE.
Thus, wars have to be abandoned and peace has to be restored to immediately, before it is too late, before human race comes to the verge of extinction. In short, The welfare of humanity lies in practicing and professing the principles of Non- violence to solve the problem of unrest, insecurity with the whole-hearted intervention of women who can help bring back the long-lost peace in all walks of life. Such a Holistic approach will prove to be successful in bringing about awareness and alertness about the disasters of war and the pleasures of peace in the minds of men and only then can the society, the state, the nation and the world look forward to a prosperous and progressive future where the wants will be minimized, the mind will be non-aggressive and non-violent and there will be eternal peace and harmony!!
References.
1) Tattvarthasutra-Pandit Sukhalalji - 7.6. Pg 153
Maitri Pramoda Kaarunya Madhyasthyani
2) Ibid-Murcchha Parigrahaa -7.12. Pg.153
3) Jain Journal 1982, Volume XVII, Pg. 19- Ayaro II-3,63-64 : Ed. Muni Sri Nathmalji. Jain Bhavan , Calcutta, Ed. Ganesh Lalwani.
4) World Religion and World Pace- Beacon Press. Ed. Homer A. Jack, pg.163.
5) Non-Violence and Environmental World Peace by Bharatiya Vidya Prakashan- Pg. 88.
6) Jyanasara Shri Yashovijayji- Acarya Dev Shri Vijaybhadraguptasurvijayji- by Vishwa Kalyan Prakashan Trust. Pg. 28.
7) Jain Journal 1984 Jain Bhavan, Calcutta. Pg.8-Tukol, T. K., Relevance of Jainism to Modern Thought.
8) Ibid-Pg.6- Sogani, K.C., Ethical Doctrines in Jainism, Solapur, 1967. Pg.77-78.
9) Harmless Souls- W.J.Johnson-Tatvarthasutra, 6.12.
10) Tatvarthasutra-Pandit Sukhlalji- Gujarat Vidyapeeth, Pg. 147, 5.21.
Parasparopgrahojivanam.
11) Kalelkar 1960XV
12) Jaina System of Education. By Debendra Chandra Dasgupta, Lala S.L. Jain Research Series, Pg.50- The Kalpasutra.
13) Ibid-Pg.43- Trisastisalaka-purusa-Caritra. Vol. II. Tr. By Helen M. Johnson.
14) Atharvaveda Devi Atharvasirsa aham rastri sangamani vasunam, chikitushi prathama yajniyanam, aham suve pitaramasya murdhani, yoni me rapsvantu.
15) Bhagwat Gita Adhyaya 10.
Kirtiha sri vak ca narinam.
16) Naradasmriti by Dr. Sunanada Shastri, Pg. 179- Gujarat University, published by C. P. Gautam Pita dadhyat swayam kanyam bhrata vanumate pituha pitamaho matulasch sakulya bandhavaastayam Nr. XII. 20.
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Author : Mrs. Raksha J Shah
(B.Sc, M.A, LL.B, DIP. in Jainism, Ph.D candidate in Jain Philosophy)
71-B/1,Adarsh, Saraswati Road, Santacruz (West), Mumbai-400054
Tel : 91-22-26490164, Fax : 9122-26490378, E-Mail : shahraksha99@hotmail.com
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