Why The World Needs Non-Violence And Forgiveness More Than Ever
By
Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
4 April
2023
Today is
Mahavir Jayanti. Though every religion advocates peace, non-violence and
forgiveness, Jainism surpasses all the faiths in its emphasis on these sublime
human attributes. In fact, Jainism hinges on Non-violence and Forgiveness and
believes that all other traits like compassion, empathy and piety ensue from
these two primary qualities.
Jainism has
sublimated Ahimsa and called it Athsheersh Gunam (the highest quality) in Prakrit.
Violence, whether Kaayik (Physical) or Maansik (Mental) must be
avoided at any cost. The sublimation of non-violence in Jainism is indeed
praiseworthy because it exhorts you to refrain even from thinking of hurting
someone. All actions, good or bad, start from thoughts. If thoughts are
violent, their manifestations will also be violent. So, expunge all violent
thoughts to be non-violent in your actions and manifestations.
Sufi mystic
Baha Uddin also said the same thing: To be totally non-violent, your thoughts
should also be non-violent. Violent thoughts birth bitterness and enmity and
they eventually manifest themselves into bloodshed and gore. At this moment,
mankind needs the 'integrated non-violence' (सम्यक अहिंसा) of
Jainism.
Yet another
most exalted human attribute advocated by Mahavir was Forgiveness. Jainism has
a specific day called Kshamapana Divas, when a day is specified for
forgiveness. But Mahavir said, ' Kshanam Chhama Duram' (every moment is
fit for forgiveness). Once you ask for forgiveness, you raise your bar as a
human and do away with your ego and when you forgive someone, you dispense with
all sorts of negativity and bitterness.
Forgiveness
is a two-way track. It liberates both and cleanses one's self. It also makes
the world a better place to live in. To ask for forgiveness doesn't lower a
person's self-esteem. Rather, it emancipates the individual and who forgives,
also feels blissfully happy from within.
So, forgive
those who hurt you and also ask for forgiveness if you think, you wronged
someone at some point in time. Ergo, Messrs Rasheed, Unknown, Naseer, Chamlija,
among others forgive me if ever I hurt you intentionally or unintentionally.
Mahavir summed it up so nicely, keep dropping all ill-will and negativity the
way a tree sheds its yellow leaves during the autumn. Only non-violence and
forgiveness at a universal level can save humanity from further degeneration
and deterioration.
------
A
regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative
religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the
world's premier publications in several languages including Persian.
URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/world-non-violence-forgiveness/d/129483
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