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daily life i.e. what we as individuals should do and what others in positions of power and the nature should observe to make life peaceful through the practice of Ahimsa.
Gandhi and Social Ahimsa of Jains:
Gandhi said, "Jainism teaches compassion towards all living creatures and the duty of nonviolence; it even teaches the protection of violent animals against small creatures. This, however, is no justification for our neglecting the duty of compassion and nonviolence towards human beings."105
However, the originality in Gandhi's Ahimsa was in its implementation in the social field. Never before was nonviolence practiced on such a massive scale. With Gandhi, Ahimsa no longer remained limited to saints and the sages but became a value to be practiced by ordinary men and women as well. He said, "Ahimsa is law of our species."
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Gandhi sought to give this ancient Indian concept of Ahimsa a life affirming social meaning and universal application. In Jain tradition, the rigorous practice of complete Ahimsa (absolute Ahimsa) could be pursued only by a saint who had renounced a worldly life, but even the ordinary persons were encouraged to practice it with certain limitations. Gandhi refused to accept different standards for saints and for ordinary men and hence interpreted Ahimsa in an original manner and broadens the meaning of it as he did not prescribe absolute Ahimsa and complete self-discipline. He believed in ceaseless striving for perfection rather than perfection. Thus Gandhi seems to be addressing the Ahimsa-anuvrata primarily for practice by all.
Like Ahimsa-anuvrata for householders in Jainism, Gandhi also realized that its followers must live in the world normally, aware of the inevitability of a degree of violence in their actions,
Gandhi & Jainism | Pg.163
| SR No. | 007798 |
| Book Title | Gandhi And Jainism |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Shugan C Jain |
| Publisher | International School for Jain Studies |
| Publication Year | 2017 |
| Total Pages | 339 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 120 MB |