Modernism Versus Ethics & Dharma

By Mr. C. P. Shah

All benevolent, infinite knowledgeable and infinite Viryavant Shree Tirthankaras establish a Dharma tirth to elevate all living beings from this beginning less and unbelievable horrible and materialistic world to unending and permanent bliss and happiness of salvation. I bow down to them and seek their blessings to finish this article.

Thinking in terms of industrial growth and economical progress mainly influences the educated groups of the modern society. They do not wish to listen to ethics and Dharma. Dharmic community of the modern society are virtually concentrating on ethics and Dharma. They do not pay attention to development and progress of the other side of the coin. It creates therefore wide gap between them. This results in the ignorance of balanced concept of development on either side and lost that needs to be amicably sorted out. This will provide platform for true NECTAR of Anekantvad

“Jainism is a magnificent treasure temple of Philosophy, Mathematics, Astronomy, Geography, History and Science it self. There cannot be a need to equate it with Science. Science is making steppingstone in the fields of several mysteries the world is keeping secret. However Jainism has probably all the answers to them.”

One may provide modern amenities and facilities to the world with the help of Modern Industrialization and Science. Industrialization is necessary in the present world scenario, as it generates more and more employment, economical growth, and improvement of financial conditions of the people, development of competitive markets. However it generates all types of pollutions, it may be air, water and solid waste etc. It devalues moral values. This creates imbalance in nature. It brings several types of vices. It results in more land grabbing, jealousy, stress and several diseases. Family life is shattered. Hardly any top executives pay attention to Business ethics. All sort of malpractices are employed to remain at the top in the market and business.

This situation is unhealthy and uncalled for. Everything has a limit. One who works for the time will suddenly, one day become inactive to move. His health does not permit to work. There may be a shock from the business rivals. Markets do not assist one all the while. Over working and over thinking about business and industrialisation without any ethics and Dharma are likely to render disadvantages.

On the other hand ethics and Dharma provides mental satisfaction and peace. Not indulging into any unhealthy competitions, keeping and generating quality products and selling at normal prices create better understandings between producers and customers. Adhering to the time schedule also provides satisfaction of mind, speech and body. Very recently one report has informed that Indian Dharmic philosophy is found to be very much useful in current management fields. It provides relief of all the stress and equip better for the progress. Knowledge of management fields with wisdom, such as yoga to remove stress, concentration during activities, peace of mind and teaching of no hatred ness and no jealousy are available in abundances in our religious volumes. It has a capacity to create for positive thinking and removing negative approach.

Let us examine how our philosophy helps :

Bhagwan Mahavir :
Teaches to become fearless and no selfishness
1. Tolerance
2 Ahimsa 
3 Syadvad (Anekantvad)
4 Equanimity and universal brotherhood system 
5 Balance of mind.

Lord Krishna :
Teaches crisis management 
1. How to take correct and proper decision at the critical period
2. It leads to new directions of life
3. Inspire for exact path during dilemma

Lord Ram :
Teaches values of public life and character
1. Keep away your personal grievances and take care of social as well as company’s interest.
2. Transparency is the utmost requirement for successful leadership at both levels, either at company or at society.
3. Characteristics values attract the people and society.

Minister Chanakya :
Teaches planning and decision making power
1. Always be foresightedness and set the goal.
2. Derive all the decisions after careful study of the project from all the angles.
3. Keep track of political side too along with financial requirements.

The modernisation and industrialisation made the world extravagant. It has changed practically all the environment of life styles. Say advertisement field, more and more children and half naked women are employed even if they are not required. All kinds of temptations are floated to create more demand. Lots of amounts are being spent in this field, which was rare before 50 years. Modernisation has increased everyone’s expectations in terms of kind and cash. When these expectations are unfulfilled one employs all the methods to achieve the same. It has created jealousy among communities, families, organisations, companies and individuals. This also generates hatred ness. All become more and more greedy.

The wealth and power are accumulated in few hands. They do not know how to use them in the welfare of human beings and other living species. More and more women try to expose their versatile body in the name of independence. Their dresses are seeing through which invite raping. They have become more intolerant with respect to sensual pleasures. Even men are not spared from extra sensual pleasures. They too want new woman every other day. Drinking of wine has become custom, throwing parties are called culture, dancing with opposite sex has become normal, hating of ethics and hatred ness towards Dharma are the talk of day today activities.

Every day new fashion and new product crops up in the market. Normally they are old wine in new bottle. Those who are unable to pick them only generate hatred ness and jealousy. We have all kinds of “ sets” such as Sofa, dinning, lemon, TV, crockery etc but the human beings are “Upset” why? Because we believe happiness is obtainable only from worldly matters and sensual pleasures. We forget a proverb “ man proposes and God disposes.” We unnecessary invite troubles when we become greedy and jealous. We do not know how to incorporate ethics in our daily life. We run here and there in search of peace and bliss with the help of materialistic pleasures. But our efforts are in vain. They do not produce any fruitful results.

We usually avoid learning ethics and Dharma. We find these subjects are boring. We hardly find time to sit in yoga posture as well as in concentration. We do not like to carry out daily exercise incorporated in our day today activities. Yet we find time to go to classes of Yoga and meditation, fitness and exercising clubs. This is very much ridiculous. Even after attending these classes and clubs we do not find peace and bliss. It is because we go there to create business relations and new introductions with influential persons. We shall not try to become satisfied with whatever we obtain.

Ethics and Dharma teaches us to become satisfied with whatever we obtained and it restricts our hatred ness, jealousy, malpractices and defaming anyone. To learn ethics and Dharma are as easy as we learn any worldly subject, provided we give attention to its studies. It is unbelievable for the human beings to understand the logic of ethics and Dharma, who produce very difficult materialistic items, such as, micro chips, computers, micro electronic gadgets, sending men and women in the orbit and controlling them from the earth, cloning of living species and so many. Only thing we need to create interest for it.

Science and human beings have crossed the limits of Brahmanda, yet they have to reach to the heart of common man and living species. It is everybody’s experience that where science fails blessings are success. Modernisation and globalisation if pursued vehemently without some ethics and character, it may draw the world near to end. It is a matter of disgust that modernisation which is capable of providing better facilities in terms of materialistic amenities yet to provide solution for internal feudal, quarrels, protection against weapons of mass destruction and enmity etc. It may be true that the inventions of modern science are for the welfare for the mankind, science cannot stop these inventions going in the hands of destructive elements. The relative theory of Albert Einstein produced destructive bombs, electricity which provides better equipment facilities is the cause of death and mass destruction, the communication system though it provides excellent communication skills throughout the world is used by terrorists community to threaten the world it self. All conveyance means are the equipment of death; say trains, cars, planes etc. They do not provide any shelter and protection to the person use them.

Blind faith in any field is the reason of down fall. All the equipments discovered by the modernisation and sciences are based on selfish attitude and hence they cannot supply peace and bliss. Even blind faith in the field of spiritualism is also a cause of down fall because there we believe “Mine is right and others are wrong.” Here, attachment towards only one sect, guru, is termed as “Drashti Raag” This Raag does not allow us to look the subject from all the angles. Rigid ness and pride are the important factors, which hinders our spiritual growth. Jealousy and hatred ness are the also important factors, which curtail our modernisation and industrial progress. If we do not maintain ethics and Dharma in our spiritual life we are sure to go below the standard of spiritual living. It is requisite for every one to coordinate both modernisation and ethics. It is like knowledge without action and action without knowledge.

One cannot either hate modernisation or ethical codes. Both are extremely necessary for the progress of all living species. If both are coordinated properly and employed in correct manners can produce unimaginable results. Extravagancy in worldly matters should be avoided. Orthodox and rigid nature in ethical codes too should be omitted. Otherwise the destructive inventions of modernisation and science will ruin the world. Qualities of ethical codes of Dharma such as generosity, charity of any nature, politeness, and non-violence, non-possessiveness are capable of retrieving from the path of destruction.

Inventions of Science are creating fear and based on selfishness which resulting into unhappiness and “Ashanti and chaos” or polluted atmosphere. Spiritual activities and adherence to ethical codes of Dharma generates peaceful and blissful atmosphere because it is based on selfishlessness and fearlessness. Modernisation if not handle properly assist only handful persons, companies, organisations and societies etc in their progress. Ethical codes of Dharma if employed adequately in both fields will help to prosper entire living species.

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Author : Mr. Chandraprakash Shah, Minister of Religion 49, Highfield Avenue
90, The Drive, Golders Green, London NW11 9UL
E-Mail : jainsangha@tiscali.co.uk & chandraprakashshah@rediffmail.com

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Mail to : Ahimsa Foundation
www.jainsamaj.org
R200805