World Peace and Non Violence

World Peace and Non-violence
Society consists of innumerable individuals having a common bond. That bond is mutuality. Plurality constitutes collectivity, but mere collectivity does not become society without the bond of mutuality. Without a common thread the beads would not make a rosary and it is of utmost importance to examine and evaluate the thread.
Sometime back Lord Mahavira's twenty-fifth birth centenary was celebrated. On that occasion a Jain emblem was prepared which contained at its base the following sutra: Parasparopagraho Jeevanam. This is an important aphorism from the first Sanskrit book in the Jain tradition. It means that sentients (jivas) are mutually related through favour and obligation, i.e. beneficence. The industrialist pays wages to the labourer and the latter acts in a manner likely to benefit the former and to safeguard his interests. Likewise, the teacher imparts knowledge to the pupil and makes him go through a sacred ceremony. The latter moulds himself according to the teacher and respectfully obeys his directions. Both are examples of mutual beneficence. Life's formula is not conflict, for conflict denotes helplessness and is not an independent trait. On the other hand mutual beneficence is an independent trait. While treating life as conflict compels man to take the course of violence, mutual beneficence takes him on the road to non-violence.
We live as part of society and the unit of society is the individual. Like individuals like society and vice versa. The above relationship is both ways true but relatively so. In modern times, society is conceived in terms of economic conditions and their management. It is assumed that if the latter are good the individual will be good too. Behind this assumption is the belief that the external cause can explain everything and that an individual's own quality and competence do not matter. Its converse is equally one-sided. It holds that the individual's own quality and competence constitute...