A SOFT INDIA - UNLIMITED TOLERANCE TO PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING IS OUR MAJOR FAILING

India is a truly soft state. From the peoples’ by enlarge tepid response towards monstrous corruption to the soft pedaling on trans-national terrorism, and from the govt’s inaction (inability or unwillingness to act) during events of major communal riots to the general apathy to fight the menace of inflation - Indians exhibit an astounding ability to tolerate anything and everything, which perpetuates systematic inertia, energizes functional lethargy and and re-inforces our national sloth, leading us to a continuum of ‘no-change’ and eternalisation of ‘status-quo’ of pluralistic anarchy, diplomatic spinelessness and a natural tenderness and inability to fight what is wrong, undesired and objectionable.

Tolerance is the hall mark of Indian nationhood. We have immense patience and tolerance. Politicians and bureaucrats may siphon-off ‘lakhs of crores’ of peoples’ money into their pockets but most Indians would still be understanding and conciliatory with this blatant act of ‘nation’s sell out’. Cross-border terrorism is reaching a ‘boiling point’ but the notorious  act of the dreaded terrorist Afzal Guru, who dared to attack the sanctum-sanctorum of the world’s largest democracy – the Indian parliament - remains unpunished as his criminal case hangs in an air of uncertainty owing to the difficult dynamics of electoral arithmetic. 

Immediately after the assaisination of Mrs Indira Gandhi on 31^st October, 1984 the rule of law completely passed into total oblivion as fanatical mobs massacred hundreds of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other cities of northern India. 27 years have elapsed since then but the riot victims never got justice as the case got lost in various legal formalities, political pressures and peoples’ apathy owing largely to communal polarization.

On 6^th December, 1992 as tons of Hindu karsevaks destroyed Babri-mosque, the beleaguered Narasimha Rao government simply waited and watched. They kept on ‘swearing by secularism’ but did nothing to protect the disputed structure, which was a symbolic jolt to Indian secularism. The army was sent only when complete destruction had been carried out, and the karsevak groups had dispersed. Lack of toughness of action emboldened the communalists.  

The Indian mind is ever-satisfied, accepting, believing in status-quo and unconcerned about the issues which matter to the greater world. The gist of a common Indian voter’s (or citizen’s) psyche is simply stated in this age-old saying in the local language (dialect) – “Ke nrip hoee , hume kya haani ?” (Whosoever is (becomes) the king, how does that matter to us?). An average Indian is averse to change, forget revolution. This could be a functional product of Hinduism. Since Hinduism believes in peace, non-violence, order, adherence to authority and dutifulness, so, it can be said that Indians have developed this unusual tolerance, a submission to destiny, a variant of fatalism.

But it is a perverted, misunderstood phenomenon. Patience, tolerance have their utmost importance under the sun, but they can’t be used everywhere and anywhere.”Self-defence is the foremost duty”, wise men have repeatedly said. “Tolerating injustice is in some ways being party to it”, says Mahatma Gandhi.

India needs toughness. India needs a strong leader. Indian needs a stringent system. There is no problem, which does not have a solution. But we need strong action. In India, we didn’t have any revolution against govt’s excesses, except emergency, which itself was a big failure. We need more and more involvement of people, from all walks of life, into the national functioning. We need strong laws against terrorists and communalists, we should have system which discourages identity politics, we should have zero tolerance towards troublemakers.

We need a country which has a strong spine. Democracy should not become an excuse to inefficiency and lethargy, an affirmation to non-agreement, non-action and non-performance. We need a democracy which is not populist but which genuinely helps the people and delivers their interests.

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THE WAY OF THE JAINAS – AND IT’S IMPACT ON THE MODERN WORLD

Among all the ancient religio-spiritual traditions of India, Jainism – or the religion of the jains – can be considered to be highly scientific, rooted in sound philosophy and reason, easy to understand and based on perception and experience. Though followed by a mere about 5 million population today, mostly in India, it has a history that believedly almost co-incides with that of Hinduism, making it one of the oldest organized religions of the world.

Jainism, founded by a chain of 24 tirthankaras (prophets) - which began with Rishabh dev (also known as Adinath) and ends with Vardhmana the Mahavira, who for all practical purposes is considered it’s founder and strengthener - is a religion of non-violence, ascetism and austere simplicity. Jainism is the science of perfecting the soul.

Jainism teaches utmost concern for all other living beings, including plants and animals, and non-violence is the most emphasized principle of the religion. Killing even a tiny insect is a great sin. This shows the reverence of life in all it’s forms and to it’s greatest extent. Although it is non-theistic in the sense that it denies the premise that the universe was created by a divine Deity, but it divinizes the soul (the essence or consciousness of a person) to an extent where it becomes as powerful as GOD (Supreme Being) himself. It is rightly said that ‘Jiva’(Individual unique soul) of Jainism is much more powerful than ‘Parmatma’ (Supreme Cosmic Soul) of Hinduism. 

Soul or ‘Jiva ‘is very essential to Jainsim, and it is believed that this soul has infinite power, bliss, perception and knowledge. But it is weighed down by it’s karma and can not reach the heights it deserves. These karma are in the form of tiny, impure particles, which enter the soul and do not allow it to rise up.  The aim of life is to make the soul get rid of these impurities so that it again goes back to it’s home (the abode of absolute bliss).

These can be done in two steps – first the incoming matter can be stopped by following the three jewels of Right Faith, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct ; and then the already existing matter can be destroyed by following austerities and self mortification.

This is the way shown by the Jinas, or the Super Heroes who have conquered themselves. Thus Jainism gets it’s name from Jina. It can also be called the skill of conquering one’s passions, negativities and desires. It is the art and science of conquering oneself. Jainism is the way by which soul’s entanglement with the matter can be destroyed forever, and hence supreme peace achieved.

Jainism believes in an eternal universe, without a beginning or an end, which is composed of Jiva (Life) and Ajiva (Matter). Both the entities are independent of each other. Soul suffers because it is involved with matter.   

JAINISM’S CONTRIBUTION TO MODERN SOCIETY AND IT’S IMPLICATIONS FOR THE MODERN MAN

Jainism’s implications for the modern man are numerous. The virtues of non-violence and peace are being increasingly accorded as ‘symbols of civility’ and ‘marks of civilization’. It is one of the important aims of even the UNO to promote brotherhood and cordial relations between nations of the world.

Kindness towards animals is gaining acceptability among intellectuals and even the common masses. The whole range of animal activism and prevention of cruelty towards animals organizations, which are coming up across the world are it’s indicators.

Mahatma Gandhi faught for freedom through the potent weapons of truth and non-violence. Non-violence was an idea which he largely borrowed from Mahavira swami. He himself says Jainism made a deep impact in his life. Thus the old virtue of non-violence, which was discovered by the Jains, was repackaged and used by the Mahatma as a potent weapon in the struggle for Indian independence. The idea of Gandhi was later used in other parts of the world for non-violent struggles.

Jainism epitomized non-violence and made it the life force of Indian subcontinent. It institutionalized Ahimsa in the Indian set up and made it the integral part for all times to come. Animal sacrifice was abolished owing to strong resentment from the Jains. Today many Hindus may aver the idea of killing even an insect or cutting down a tree, this is largely a Jain impact.

The Jains and the Buddhists were the first to write down literature. We know more about those times today because of those literary records. It has indeed richened our history. The entire Jain history forms a glorius chapter in the life of Indian civilization. The life and teachings of Lord Mahavira and other Jain prophets have indeed inspired thinkers, intellectuals and men of thoughts and reason. The jain community though small in number but has an influence disproportionate to it’s strength and continues to influence the Indian thought, value system and way of life in various ways.

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