Relevance of Non-violence in Modern Life

Summary

Duli Chand Jain’s essay explores the Jain doctrine of non‑violence (ahiṃsā) and its relevance to contemporary society. He begins by observing that the Jain community is widely perceived as peaceful and vegetarian and recalls how Mahatma Gandhi drew inspiration from Jain scholar Raichandbhai Mehta. The author explains that abstention from violence is the foundational vow in Jain ethics, from which other vows—truthfulness, non‑stealing, chastity and non‑attachment—derive. Ahiṃsā is more than passive non‑harming: it embodies universal compassion and equanimity. Jain distinguishes between its negative aspect (refraining from harm) and its positive aspect (practising love towards all beings). He discusses the aim of human life according to Jain teachings, which is to achieve liberation through right faith, right knowledge and right conduct. Right conduct entails non‑violence, self‑restraint and austerity. Drawing on scriptural sources like the Daśavaikālika‑sūtra and Tattvārtha‑sūtra, the essay emphasises that all life forms possess consciousness and are interconnected; harming others accrues karma that binds the soul. The author argues that non‑violence has profound social implications. Practising ahiṃsā promotes peace between individuals, communities and nations. In an age marked by ecological degradation, nuclear threats and materialism, humanity urgently needs an ethical principle that restrains violence and fosters harmony. Jainism’s holistic approach, balancing faith, knowledge and conduct, offers a viable alternative. The essay concludes that adopting non‑violence at individual and collective levels can ensure a better existence here and hereafter. The concept of Bhagavatī Ahiṃsā (the goddess of non‑violence) underscores its sacred status and universal appeal.