03.11.2014 ►Nonviolent Life Style Model for Sustainable Development

JVBU ►8th Convocation

Adhyatma Sadhna Kendra, Delhii
03.11.2014

In 8th Convocation of Jain Vishwa Bharti University, Smt Mahima Sethia (Bokariya)  has been awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy  for research in “Nonviolent Life Style Model for Sustainable Development - with special reference to Jainism” on 03.11.2014 at Delhi under auspicious presence of Acharya Mahashraman ji. Chief guest of convocation was Smt. Smriti Irani (HRD minister).

SUMMARY

Concept of Sustainable Development

'Globalisation - Liberalisation' are the most sounded echoes of development in the current economic world. World is transformed into a global village where all the countries are interacting with each other to achieve their individual and mutual aims and targets. In the race of so called development, countries are making their policies keeping the economic development at its nucleus. The mass consumerism/ exploitation have put the world on the edge of blowhole. Tsunami, volcano eruptions, glacier melting and other natural calamities of sever nature are now seen very frequently and each time they bought irreparable damage for life, wealth and society. Increasing weapon culture is pulling the investment of education, health and basic necessities, shifting the focus of human's values from morality to mortality. Environmental pollution is turning into the global warming, ecological degradation is sweeping out many species of animals, excessive mining is destabilizing the earth's balancing, increasing gap of income disparity has created a dangerous situation of over consumption of rich and mal-nutrition of poor, economic recession resulting in bankruptcy of individuals, organisations and nations, all these consequences are forcing the lives to sustain on rocky turf. These crossroads of growth with depleting peace, prosperity with depleting environment and technology with depleting values have dragged the globe's attention towards the concept of sustainability for the survival of all forms of life. Brains across the world are brushing to find out the sustainable solution for rectifying the committed mistake.

Former Prime Minister of India and a prominent economist Dr. Manmohan Singh describes the biggest challenge as "our biggest challenge today remains that of banishing poverty, ignorance and disease. As I look ahead, I see five key challenges facing the nation: challenge of (i) livelihood security (ii) economic security (iii) energy security (iv) ecological security and (v) national security."

The term "Sustainable Development" came into existence in 1987 when Brundtland Commission defined it in its widely quoted definition "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, which aims to meet human needs along with preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but in the indefinite future also. Sustainability has following constituents:

1. Economic Sustainability - This implies that the financial model of the development tools are tuned to the core competency of the region marked for implementation: that the products are matched to market demand; and that connectivity with the market is well maintained.
2. Technological Sustainability - Technology will lead to better and faster operations, lower wastage, higher grade products and services, and will cut down the coast. Sustainable development tools should be upgradable and capable of applying competitive technologies.
3. Social Sustainability - Social Sustainability refers to be a partner in the lives of the people, in order to bring about the positive change in the human development.
4. Environmental Sustainability - One of the crucial challenges of the 21st century is that of climate change due to global warming caused by man-made greenhouse gases. The net effect is that global mean temperatures are rising; the decade of 2000-09 was the warmest ever recorded. The aspect of environment - covering emission control, reducing pollution of water and soil resources, preserving biodiversity - is, indeed, an important consideration in any Sustainable development model.
5. Value Sustainability - Development should be accompanied by the creation of value-based society and lead to the evolution of enlightened citizens, who are powered by knowledge and skills, and guided by moral values.
6. Learning and Adaptability - Sustainable development systems require infrastructure, opportunity, incentives for continuous learning from each other and evolution. Also it should be adaptable to conditions of local input and needs.

People may summarize sustainable development in different ways and vision, but the locus is a better quality of life (both economic and non-economic aspects) with a sense of security for future generations. Before moving further, few important issues need to be addressed. These issues are:- political framework, economical pattern, demographic changes, environmental degradation and lack of education.

Individuals are the working unit of sustainable development and constitute the higher hierarchies with different permutation-combinations. Being the nucleus, his life style plays an imperative role in forming, adopting and executing the action for sustainability. Life of individual is drive by notions of utility and by social vestiges. The beliefs he learn, experienced and see around himself constitute his life style which in turn reflects in the behavior and day to day action. Hence a constructive, responsible and a visionary life style pattern is indeed a mandatory requirement for maintaining the sustainability of material as well as virtue development.

Life style

Lifestyle is the typical way of life of an individual, group, or culture. Lifestyle can be explained as a mode of expression of interpretation, behaviour, manner of acting, conduct and course. A lifestyle is a characteristic bundle of behaviours that makes sense to both others and oneself in a given time and place, including social relations, consumption, entertainment, and dress. A lifestyle typically also reflects an individual's attitudes, values or worldview. Therefore, a lifestyle is a means of forging a sense of self and to create cultural symbols that resonate with personal identity. There are two types of environment for a lifestyle: natural and social. Natural environment involves the conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives and operates. Social Environment includes an individual's living and working conditions, income level, educational background, community and religious beliefs if they have any. Concluding all this, a life style which nourishes the moral values, optimizes the use of natural resources, limiting the personal consumption and take cares of future requirement can be termed as sustainable life style.

Nonviolent Values in different traditions

In many traditions, nonviolence is the described as moral characteristic. In the Rig Veda the thought takes the form of a prayer wherein the ascetic rishi pleads for a peaceful coexistence and wishes to follow the path shown by friends and well-wishers. In Veda it is written, those who see all beings as souls do not feel infatuation or anguish at their sight, for they experience oneness with them. In Buddhism, Buddha identified the basic problem as one of suffering, imperfection, or dissatisfaction. He emphasized the need for analyzing and clearly understanding the factor which give rise to suffering. These states of loving kindness, compassion, sympathy, and even-mindedness were recommended by the Buddha to overcome the basic problems.

Islam means submission to God, and a Muslim is one who has submitted to the will of God. The most commonly used Arabic term denoting peace or the absence of war is Salam, meaning harmony, tranquility and peace. The prophet prohibited Muslims from committing acts of violence against their enemies, advising that if Muslims observed some evil activity, they should try to change it through dialogues; if unsuccessful, they should try to pray for God's guidance for the offending persons: and only if that had did not work should they resort to force.

In Christianity, the central teachings of Jesus are presented in the Sermon on the Mount, notably the "golden rule" and the prescription to "love your enemies" and "turn the other cheek". It was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." In the preacher's opinion, "the modern debate on violence and the sacred thus helps us to accept a new dimension of the Eucharist," thanks to which "God's absolute 'no' to violence, pronounced on the cross, is kept alive through the centuries. The Eucharist is the sacrament of nonviolence!"

Jainism prescribes a path of nonviolence towards all living beings and emphasizes spiritual independence and equality between all forms of life. Nonviolence is seen as the most essential religious duty for everyone. The ultimate Jain discipline, therefore, rests on complete inactivity and absolute nonviolence against any living beings. Thus the Acharanga sutra notes: All beings are fond of life, they like pleasure, hate pain, avoid decay, and wish to live long. To all, life is dear.... Ascetics of this religion undertake five major vows:

1. Ahimsa (nonviolence)
2. Satya (Truth)
3. Asteya (non-stealing)
4. Brahmacharya (celibacy)
5. Aparigraha (non-possessiveness)

Laymen are encouraged to observe these five cardinal principles within their current practical limitations.

Nonviolent Values by different thinkers

Many thinkers gave importance to nonviolence in life. Leo Tolstoy in "The Kingdom of God is Within You" expressed his idea of non violent resistance which become an inspirational motivation to iconic leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luthar King, Jr. He considers that the core of religion was love which is the channel through which humanness, mutual trust, nonviolence pave the way for world brotherhood and unity. Martin Luthar King Junior in his 1964 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech said: "Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral question of our time -- the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to violence and oppression." In his famous "I Have a Dream" public speech, he said "I have a dream today! that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. I have a dream today! One day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers."

Johan Galtung is a peace hero - and widely regarded as the Father of Peace Research. Galtung has promoted living economy, with its main focus on the satisfaction of human needs of those most in need, as opposed to today's killing economy which causes avoidable death of over 1,00,000 people every day from hunger and preventable or curable diseases. He introduced the concept of negative peace and positive peace. Negative peace means absence of all the three forms of violence and positive peace includes mutually beneficial corporation on an equal basis and mutual learning to heal past violence and avoid future violence.

Albert Schweitzer from early childhood, never missed to pray for animals along with humans in his traditional evening prayer. He found that both the concept of sympathy and the right to happiness has melted into each other. In his 21st year, he decided that at the age of thirty he will adopt a path of immediate service as man to my fellow men. Reverence for Life is a philosophy that says that the only thing we're really sure of is that we live, and want to go on living. And this is something that we share with everything else that lives - from elephants to blades of grass. it just says we must be aware of what we're doing. The key is awareness, which makes us more alive.

Chanakya was a teacher, philosopher and royal advisor in the Kingdom of Chandragupta Maurya during 370-293 B.C. Chanakya authored the ancient Indian political treatise called Arthasastra. He stressed the importance of learning and acquiring the right skill to be an effective leader. Self - purification and inner cleansing were necessary for the right perspective. He anchored the secular values of compassion, tolerance, nonviolence, truthfulness and honesty as the qualities possessed by a leader. Chanakya gave important sutras of life. He said - Sukhasya moolam Dharmah which means - the basis of "sukha" is "dharma" or righteous conduct. Another sutra is, Dharmasya mulam arthah meaning the basis of ethics is resources.Acharya Bhikshu was one of the great revolutionary saints and reformer of Jainism. Acharya Bhikshu's organisation is not so much for acquisition of power as for purity in conduct. He very much emphasized the fundamentals. Profligacy or even recklessness in conduct was intolerable to him. Acharya Bhikshu always reminded of: The aim of Sadhus is self-empancipation i.e the attainment of perfect purity.

1. Their devotion is nonviolence, which is pure in itself.
2. Its means is self-discipline, which is pure in itself.

Acharya Bhikshu always emphasized on the change of heart for the transformation of personality. He said that the way of nonviolence is to persuade an evil-doer to renounce his ways of improper conduct.

Mahatma Gandhi is a renouned world leader who fights for the political freedom of India by non violent means. His nonviolent resistance satyagraha demolishes the concept that bloodshed is necessary to obtain the right of freedom. Gandhian's nonviolence considers humility as its indispensable spirit. Gandhi worked for the economic simplicity and deny for unlimited wants for life. He had realized that if economic motive predominate the social aim, social life will be dominated by violence and universal corruption.

Acharya Tulsi a prominent Jain acharya was the founder of the Anuvrata movement. In 1949 he launched the Anuvrat Movement based on the five Jain principles truth, nonviolence, non-possession, non-stealing and celibacy as applied in their limited version for the lay people. The movement encouraged people to apply the Anuvrata in their personal lives, even when dealing with non-religious aspects of the society. Acharya Tulsi renounced his physical comforts and dedicated his life to the noble cause of the well-being of the people. In 1960 during his stay at Rajsamand, Rajasthan launched the campaign Naya Mod to rid the society from evil practices like purdah system, mrityubhoj, weeping aloud in the event of someone's death as an obligatory social custom, compelling widows to wear black clothes and subjecting them to insults, exhibitionism, dowry and certain harmful social functions held at the end of long fasts.

Vinoba Bhave was advocate of nonviolence and human rights and a widely venerated disciple of Mahatma Gandhi. Bhave was the founder of the Bhoodan Yajna. Bhave created the Brahma Vidya Mandir for women in order for them to become self-sufficient and non-violent in a community. This group farms to get their own food, but uses Gandhi's beliefs about food production, which include sustainability and social justice, as a guide. In 1958 Vinoba was the first recipient of the international Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1983. Vinoba Bhave was very clear on using the nonviolence as the ultimate mean to resist wars.

Acharya Mahapragya was a saint, yogi, spiritual leader, philosopher, author, orator, and poet. He formulated the well-organized and scientific Preksha meditation system in the 1970s, and education system "Science of Living" which is a practical approach for the balanced development of a student and his character building. Mahapragya, an apostle of nonviolence, launched the Ahimsa Yatra movement in 2001 which continued until 2009 to promote nonviolence and harmony. It is an endeavour to awaken a new faith in the infinite power of nonviolence. The spiritual aspect of nonviolence training is to ignite the consciousness of nonviolence and to cultivate the values of nonviolence. And its practical aspect is the employment training for livelihood. Acharya Mahapragya motivated Dr. Abdul Kalam to evolve a system of peace wherein these very nuclear weapons will be ineffective, insignificant and politically inconsequential.

NVLS Model for Sustainable Development

Sustainable living in other words is the application of nonviolence in every aspect of life. In Jainism, nonviolence is the core practice of religion. Bhagwan Mahavira preached nonviolence and said:

1. Don't kill any living being
2. Don't cause pain to anybody
3. Don't impose yourself on anybody
4. Don't bind and enslave anybody

This is the principle of equalitarism. It is the eternal religion.

Lord Mahavira has laid 12 vows for human being for living their life in peace and prosperity. The main aim of these vows is to self restraint, nonviolence in every activity and detachment to materiality. These vows can be practiced by individual in his day to day life and are very useful in contributing towards sustainable development goal. As individual is the basic unit and centre of sustainable development by which we can bring major changes in the universe and can approach for a better balanced life. These vows are the base of NVLS model. Hence for sustainable living, a practical life style is required which attempts to achieve the goal of sustainability and that life style is Non Violent Life Style.

All these six components have their individual identity and are simultaneously mutually dependent on each other. All these six represents the different aspects of dynamic human behavior hence a particular line of dependency can't be drawn up. As Individual is the basic unit and centre of sustainability development by which we can bring major changes in the universe and can approach for a better balanced life. Along with the meeting of the primary aim, it also targets to improve quality of life, respect for rights and freedoms and the promotion of renewable energy sources. For attaining the sustainable development's aims, establishment of peaceful nonviolent society is essential requisite. The way to peace, harmony and social excellence as required for sustainable development lies in the Jain's philosophy of minimizing violence, unconditional tolerance and reverence for life. Acharya Samantabhadra describes Ahimsa as: "Ahimsa bhutanam jagati viditam brahma paramam," It means ahimsa is the supreme truth for all human beings in this universe. Ahimsa is the foundation of a virtuous life. Neither the individual nor the society can live in peace and happiness without nonviolence.

Non Violent Thought Process

Human being is considered to be developed in respect to all living being because he has the ability to think. In general terms, thought is the idea or set of ideas that result from the process of thinking. It is the base platform for the origin of all the actions and interactions. Thinking allows the person to- understand, analyze, interpret the things on the basis of experiences and learning and then to take decision to act or react in a particular manner. It is the thought from where first sprinkles of nonviolence or violence arises which later develop into the action. Hence understanding thought process is very important in Sustainable development. The attainment of right vision is the achievement of philosophy. The Jain philosophy is based on dualism. It says truth is one but its explanation can be in many forms and its comprehension is also difficult. Entire truth cannot be expressed. Only partial expression is possible due to lack of wholesome knowledge. This doctrine of Anekantavada is a very valuable contribution of Jainism to world thought. Anekanta is the multiangular vision, which takes into account the relativity of substance and mode. It is not possible to have only substance and only mode. The doctrine of Anekant is "don't take the partial truth for the whole truth". Non violent thought process is application of non violence in thought process so that since birth, thoughts remain motivated by the virtues of non violence and when it got implemented, it creates the environment of harmony, happiness and peace. A prerequisite of a peaceful world is a world secure in health, prosperity and justice.

If a person is nonviolent from thought level, the thoughts too will be motivated from nonviolence and finally the action. So is the contrary. So existence of nonviolence at thought level is one of the prerequisites for attaining the sustainable development.

Non-Violent Action

Action is defined as the fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim. Action in reference to the human behavior can be described as a trait of being active, energetic and dynamic. In this chapter action includes all form of actions inclusive of reaction and response. There are many more definitions to define action from various prospects but all these definition meets at a point in narrating the major components of action - agent and intention. Agent means who executes and the intention is the purpose with which it is being executed. On the basis of intention, different level of action can be broadly classified into intentional, unintentional autonomous and further with good, neutral and bad intention.

Action = Agent + Intention +Aim

Sustainable development is all about the action. All plans and policies will go in vein if desired actions are not taken at implementation stage. A dedicated action is required at all level of application to shape up the plans into concrete results. Life style is integral of different kinds of action and reactions. Actions can be positive or negative depending upon the circumstances and performer's view. Individual's life style is affected by the do's and don'ts of the society and nation in which person lives. On counterpart, society and nation too is affected by the do's and don'ts of an individual.

Jainism classifies the three types of doer of action (agent)-

1. Those who himself performs the action, or
2. Those who tells, forces, supports hires or by any mode make another person/s to perform the action, or
3. Those who appraise or reacts positively towards the act of other person.

Any injury to life motivated by passion is violence. Here, passion means powerful emotions of anger, pride, deceit and greed. In Tattvartha Sutra, Acharya Umasvati describes violence as a killing which is done through the careless action of mind, speech and body. The Jain's considered ahimsa a natural attribute of the human psyche and himsa as unnatural. No other religion except Jainism has categorized violence into 108 varieties.

4 passions x 3 instruments x 3 yoga x 3 karan = 108 types of violence.

Hence as per Jainism an action is nonviolent action which abstain from all type of possible violence, stimulates peace and friendliness. NVLS develop the characteristics of nonviolence both in action and reaction. At first stage with intention, practice is done to use the nonviolence in daily actions. Continue repetition will convert the intentional nonviolent actions and reactions into habits which mean it is no longer intentional, no extra efforts will be required, and it becomes the part of personality.

Nonviolence strengthens the autonomy of life of every being. Non-absolutism strengthens the autonomy of thoughts of every individual. Non-possession strengthens the interdependence of all existence. If you feel that every soul is autonomous you will never trample on its right to live. Both peace and war originate in the human mind. In order to create peace, we must begin at individual level. Human is responsible for achieving oneness and harmony among all living beings including the environment, through self restraint, compassionate living, and disciplined behavior. If the individual has the right inclination, attains a state of equanimity towards all, restrain his consumption and behaves ethically, such nonviolent life style will make the society naturally free from violence. Hence a nonviolent action which restrains all types of violence's, respects all living forms at equanimity, promotes peace and harmony and provides training to practice nonviolence in all activities, forms an integral part of nonviolent life style.

Non Violent Communication

Sustainability is about fostering participation - with dialogue, cooperation and communication. For an effective implementation of plans and policies, a comprehensive exchange of ideas and opinions both among people themselves and also from external experts and resource persons, strong interpersonal rapport and sharing of information (communication) is needed. Sustainable development involves the mutual interaction of man, society and environment. Interaction is said to be precise when the interactor and respondent understand the subject matter in common context. The process of transferring/sharing/informing is called communication and through which it communicated, it is called means of communication. Hence communication is one of the main pillars on which Sustainable development progress. Without communication, it is same like living on Mars.

Communication is the activity of conveying information through the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, visuals, signals, writing, or behavior. Lack of communication affects the whole personality of the human being - personal, professional and social life. It may result in confusion, misunderstandings and frozen emotions. The effects of poor communication in an organization can damage ones chances to further excel in that organization. At social front, ineffective communication causes conflicts and worsens relationship. Nonviolence in communication means to express gracefully without hurting/insulting other's sentiment and to respect the other's thoughts. Use of nonviolence in the communication is the nonviolent ways of communication. In Arun Gandhi's word, - Nonviolence means allowing the positive within you to emerge. Be dominated by the love, respect, understanding, appreciation, compassion, and concern for other rather that self-centered and selfish, greedy, hateful, prejudiced, suspicious and aggressive attitude that dominate our thinking.

The practice of truth in this way constitutes the core of morality and is sign of good society. Here we have discussed the modes of speech which one should give up and also that should be followed. In fact it is required to be more careful in all the acts we performs and so in speech too. The ultimate aim of this practice is also to develop caution so that one can avoid the occasion of sins.

Non-Violent Culture and Way of Earning

Culture in a layman words is the characteristics of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts and many other routine phenomenon. In 1871 Anthropologist Edward B. Tylor define Culture as that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society. Hoebel describes culture as an integrated system of learned behavior patterns which are characteristic of the members of a society and which are not a result of biological inheritance. Culture therefore exists where ever there are human associations and interactions. The most important characteristic of a culture is that it is a learned behavior, not a biological gain from ancestor.

Earning is necessary for the survival and sufficient earning is needed to fulfill some extra desires above the basic requirements. But today's economic aim has shifted from social welfare to monetary supremacy. The objective of modern economics is not peace; nor is nonviolence; its goal is only economic prosperity. In order to fulfill the objective of pervasive prosperity, it also expects that desires, needs and production are expanded, and as a consequence thereof, it is expected that greed would be promoted. The greed of accumulating more and more wealth and in the shortest time motivates person to adopt the illegal and corrupt practices. Way of earning here refers to how, from which source, from which activity the money is earned.

Non violent ways of culture refers to the culture which is free of violence, promotes co­operation rather than competition, solidarity for mutual support and dialogues, respects all life forms and their dignity, respect other cultures and above all peaceful co-existence of all. It is culture where everybody satisfies their basic needs of food, clothing shelter and education. Non violent ways of earning refers to the earning which is ethical, fair, prohibits unnecessary violence, avoids fraudulent practices, doesn't exploit human, animal and natural resources and practices morality in all economic transactions. Negative peace is where there is an absence of behavioral violence, but where relations are unpeacful. It may marked by structural violence. Positive Peace is defined in terms of harmonious relations between parties that are conducive to mutual development, growth and attainment of goal. To Mahavira, the question of satisfaction and comfort was secondary; the question of peace was primary. When peace is primary, the purity of means also gains supremacy. Sustainable development perquisites require peaceful, harmonically social environment liaison with fulfillment of basic needs of current and future generation. Jainism tries to shape the attitude toward nature by prescribing humane and nonviolent approaches to everyday behavior. Jainism inspired its followers to safeguard the ecological perspective. Jain philosophy's non violent ways of culture and way of earning are the crucial practices which can help in moving the direction of sustainable development. They take into consideration the fulfillment of the needs with economic progress in the environment of peace, social harmony and equanimity with respecting all forms of life including nature.
Nonviolent Environment

Environment is the combination of all of physical and organic factors that act on a living being, its endurance and growth. For searching mining option we have used so many chemicals which has made the river / ocean water poisonous. Because of chimney / factory air pollution has increased and which is impacting tree / plants/ animals/ human being. Because of chemical waste / nuclear power waste this earth is now no more like to stay. Dr Abdul Kalam then the President of India addressed the golden jubilee of European Union. In that speech he shows his vision for attaining the peace in the world. I am reminded of the dream of the Indian Poet "Kaniyan Poongundranaar" who articulated in 3000 years back in Tamil Classic Purananuru. He Says "Yathum Oorae Yavarum Kaeleer" which means "I am a World Citizen; Every Citizen is My Own Kith and Kin". Where there is Righteousness in the Heart, when there is Beauty in the Character, There is Beauty in the Character. When there is Beauty in the Character. There is Harmony in the Home. When there is Harmony in the Home. There is an Order in the Nation. When there is Order in the Nation, There is Peace in the World.

Hence peace is the prerequisite for sustainable development and for peaceful environment, applied nonviolence is the basic requirement. A nonviolent environment replaces the negative factors as untruth, ego, greed, deception, prejudice, hatred, suspicion with the constructive virtues of mutual understanding and faith, interfaith and social harmony, protection of natural resources, feeling of equanimity and belongingness, discourages the blind faith and useless rituals etc. Sustainable development though depends on the natures but its responsibilities lies on the man. It is man oriented concept and requires interaction of man with man at various levels. If the nonviolent environment exists, the intensity of fruitful progress of all will be multifold. Equanimity will result in respect and equal behavior to all which results in equal opportunity of education, job, and food security to all. In nut shell nonviolent environment will improve the quality of life irrespective of social, regional or cultural differences. I believe much trouble and blood would be saved if we opened our hearts more.
Non-Violent Media

Media is the fourth pillar of the society. "Pen is mightier than Sword" - this old proverb seems to be true even in today's context as the media seems to gain strength in the modern society. It is often referred to as synonymous with mass media or news media, but may refer to a single medium used to communicate any data for any purpose. The ideal role of the media in any given society is to inform the general public on events and issues that affect them. It has direct access to people and this gives it a lot of strength. As the development is creating daily new bars higher than earlier, people too in rhythm become more educated, well aware of their rights and capabilities and are transacting with globe. No sphere of life has remained untouched by the influence of media. Media has a huge responsibility of conveying the truth and relevant information.

Media plays a very important and crucial role in enlightening and educating the people. The media can aid public involvement through advocating issue and transferring knowledge, skills and technologies to the people. Media serves as a bridge between the government and the people. The government's policies and actions are conveyed to the people, and the latter's views are forcefully expressed to make the authorities aware of the public feelings. It makes the policy makers aware of the wrongs that may otherwise escape attention. The media acts as a deterrent on corrupt practices and keeps a check on the working of the government. Media is pampering the violence making it more amusing, addictive and tranquilizer than what it is in originality. Many extensive researches has came up with the evidences indicating that higher exposure of media violence can contribute to aggressive behaviour, desensitization to violence, nightmares, and fear of being harmed to the children and adolescents in both immediate and long term perspective. To be sustainable, peace is a commitment to a better future that starts today, on the basis of shared values, through dialogue, tolerance, respect and understanding. This is the foundation upon which to build everyday peace in our neighborhoods and cities, within our societies and between countries. Today peace requires ever more active investments, enlightened leadership, powerful educational values and a progressive media world. In current scenario, no other medium has such powerful expression access to reach the larger and wider section of globe as media especially the digital media is having. It can act as a great medium by making the thinking of general masses, friendly towards the sustainable development. Sustainable development requires lots of communication and awareness among people and organisations at ground level. Media having wide range of coverage and easy accessibility to common people can help in accelerating the sustainable development process. It can highlight the sensitive social issues and increases the awareness towards them through healthy social debates and programmes like Satyamev jayate, crime patrol, The Outsider etc. Self control is essential in media so as to restrict the news/informations which can be cause of communal riots, social disturbances, international tensions or increasing violence among children and youths. It can promote the faith in multidimensional approach of anekant which can help in building a tolerable society. Hence a non violent media is an integral requirement which can owe the important responsibility of awareness, education and universal brotherhood.

NVLS model based on Jainism is having the charterstics of self restraining, limiting consumption of natural and produced resources, promoting equanimity towards all living form, practicing purity of means in economic transactions and sharing of resources with fellow beings, enhancing the feeling of brotherhood and forgiveness with pure heart and attainment of peace as a overall objective. These characteristics are basic requirements of sustainable development. One of the important features of NVLS model is its practice does not encroach any religious, social or communal practices or approaches. NVLS model thus is the best practical approach to attain the aims of sustainable development at global level.