Jainism and Socialism

(By J. T. S. Sreepal)

Thousands of years ago human society in India was disorganized in utter disarray. Men were leading their lives like animals, behaving not in a coordinated civilized manner. They behaved according to their own instincts directed by their immature minds. Man is a thinking social animal but ancient man's behavior was not at all conducive to the evolution of a good and harmonious society. Rishabha Deva's birth was amidst this state of confusion and social disarray. He wanted to establish a proper civilized social order and for this reform he adumbrated a number of plans. He laid the Ahimsa Dharma as the infrastructure of his noble and masterly plan. He gave training to men in education, agriculture, commerce, trade, painting, sculpture and various other arts and by his laudable endeavor he thoroughly gave a new turn to the course of human society. He explained to the people that Ahimsa Dharma alone would establish peace, love and happiness and he did not halt merely teaching things to men but propounded a sound economic policy. He advocated that every member of the society should self impose on himself a limit in amassing riches. He further enforced the most commendable principles that no one should try to amass an unlimited wealth to the detriment of his fellowmen. He should not have a rapacious aspiration to grab any amount of wealth that comes across. Other members of the society will suffer from want.

What is the meaning of Ahimsa Dharma ? Every human being should not only love his fellowmen but also fellow living beings from the elephant to the tiny ant, and plants. In practice Ahimsa leads men to unity, prevents them from appropriating unlimited riches so that other fellowmen should also have an equitable share of the necessities of life, it induces men to see that none in society should suffer from want, it teaches men that they should not be avaricious in grabbing every form of wealth and last but not least, it enjoins on every member of the human society that he should give equal opportunity to each and every one to earn his livelihood. Thus Rishabha Deva's teachings were entirely scientific in approach. He preached, "Behave harmoniously in thought, word and deed, don't inflict evil and pain upon others and be kind and merciful to other living beings." He was the first man in the world who established a sound economic principle so that one's economic behavior should not be detrimental to others and that is the reason why he has become an object of our admiration, adoration and devotion. He was the first adoration and devotion. He was the first political leader to sow the seed of socialism in the vast field of human society.

He was the pioneer of primitive communism. This new social pattern had been praised as a society of Dharma and Ahimsa. In modern days we call that social pattern as Jainism.

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