मर्यादा की जिजीविषा

Summary

The text explores the concept of discipline (maryada) through the evolving perspective of Acharya Shri Mahapragya, from his 1973 statements as "Muni Nathmal" to his role as the head of the Terapanth religious order in 2002. It presents his view that discipline is not inherently meaningful or meaningless; its significance has limits. The text suggests that despite his changed position, his fundamental thinking on discipline remains consistent. It contrasts the nature of a sect (panth) as a lifeless shadow with the independent creative power of individuals like Buddha, Shankar, Kabir, and Gandhi, whose energy became absorbed into sects. The text argues that discipline is necessary only for the negligent (pramatta), while the non-negligent (apramatta) naturally transcend it, making discipline unnecessary for them. It criticizes the modern tendency to equate freedom with licentiousness, which disrupts social harmony and leads to environmental imbalance, political-economic arbitrariness, and social inequality. The text asserts that a living community like the Terapanth, with its 244-45 year history and 138-year tradition of discipline, has remained dynamic because its discipline nourishes rather than burdens it. It argues that the openness of the Terapanth has prevented it from being bound by the shadows of its leaders, allowing fresh vitality to circulate. The text concludes by urging a broader perspective, suggesting that rejecting a good thing simply because it belongs to a particular sect is itself a narrow view, and that collective efforts to awaken a will to live within discipline are necessary.