Acharya Tulsi
The most difficult problem the world is facing today is of environment. At one time, the problem of nuclear weapons was frightening. More and more powerful and destructive weapons were being manufactured. The great world powers were in terror. There was an atmosphere of mutual suspicions. It was America that first manufactured the atomic weapons in 1945. The capacity to manufacture three atom bombs was acquired that year. One bomb was tested in New Mexico. That was the first nuclear test in the world. The other two bombs were exploded in the Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Soviet Union carried out the first nuclear test in 1949, followed by Great Britain, France and China. More than 1800 nuclear tests have been carried out in the world between 1945 and 1994. Nearly 500 tests have been carried out in the atmosphere and the rest have been carried out underground. In view of the ill effects of this competition in nuclear tests, there was a partial ban on the manufacture and tests of nuclear weapons. Now the discussion about the danger of nuclear weapons has become pretty out of date.
Time to Look Back
The whole world was alert when the problem of environment sprang up all at once. It was good in a way since it led people to do some fresh thinking. Otherwise, no one was prepared to listen to anyone on this subject. The only goal man had before him was to increase his wealth by hook or by crook and to see that everyone was well-off. It was an attractive slogan but was equally destructive. Intoxicated by the idea of prosperity, he started exploiting natural resources beyond limits. That led to the problem of environment. It gave an occasion to people to think and to look back and see the dance of destruction that was following like a shadow. Man woke up to the situation on realizing that prosperity would mean nothing if no one survived.
Root of the Problem
There is a layer of ozone between the earth and the sun. It is a layer between ten to fifteen kilometres above the surface of the earth in the isothermal zone, and prevents the harmful ultra-violet rays from reaching the earth. However, this ozone layer has been disturbed on account of imbalance in nature and environmental pollution. That depletion is continuously increasing. Life on the earth is protected because of this ozone layer. Its depletion is causing danger for life. Earthquakes, floods, cyclones are the natural calamities that put the human life out of gear. The possibility of volcanic outbursts is growing. In that situation, who would enjoy the prosperity and how? Today, the leading personalities of the world are harassed by this anxiety about the future of the Planet Earth. If the earth is not saved, man would not survive either. And if man does not live, this prosperity would become meaningless.
For a far-seeing, thinking and discerning human being, this is a challenge and it is very necessary to face it. Before preparing to face the challenge, let us think what it is about. In my view, the root of the problem lies in the one-sided human approach. Mahavira understood the significance of the anekanta approach [1], put it into practice and explained what such an approach implied. But people are gradually forgetting this philosophical and cultural heritage. Ignoring the limits of material resource, time and space and emotions, they are rushing only in one direction. They want nothing but prosperity and comfort. We cannot say where this attitude would take the individual and what good it would bring to him.
Mahavira gave extreme importance to making the human view correct and steadfast. He said, "Right view is at the root of all religions and the perverse view is the root of all sins. The greatest sin in the world is the sin of having a perverse view. He who has the right view is also unanimous. A unanimous man does not indulge in sin.[2] If man had the right view, and did not take one-sided view of things, he would not have considered wealth all important and in that case, there would not have been over-exploitation of the natural resources and over industrialization. But these things are happening because man's attitude is not appropriate.
Danger to Natural Wealth
The position of the world has been thus described in the Jain Scriptures: The space is the element that has universal existence. In the space is the air. On the air is the ocean. On the ocean is our earth. On the earth are the living creatures that include the human beings, the animals, the birds, the insects, etc. There would be no chaos if all the living creatures on this earth remain as they are. There is imbalance only when there is interference with the natural order. Man has interfered with the earth, the water and even the space. Such gases are being released in the atmosphere that is causing the maximum harm to the ozone layer. Had such a thing not been happening, the natural resources would not have depleted to this extent.
I have known a person who was on the peak of prosperity. He had buried gold under the land in his possession. The walls of his house were inlaid with diamonds and emeralds. The doors of his rooms were made of gold. He had so much wealth that even if his seven generations freely distributed it, there would not have been any dearth. That person was ruined because he was deep in gambling and speculation business. This is not a fairy tale but a real thing I witnessed with my own eyes. Nature too has so much wealth that it would not get depleted, no matter how much man used it. But ever since these resources are being misused and are being drained to an exaggerated extent, his existence has now been endangered.
Those who endlessly exploit the natural resources claim that it is being done to bring prosperity for the people. But I for one do not think this is what is actually in their minds. Who is worried about people in general? Only those who are prosperous are growing more prosperous. The rest of the people are living under the curse of distress. There is also the point to consider that if all people become prosperous, prosperity would have no value.
Prosperity is Not the Solution
There is a mythological story about Indra and Indrani who came from heaven to earth. They camped near a village. They found that most people in the village were poor and afflicted. Indrani said to Indra, "You have the power to remove troubles. Free these people from trouble." Indra said, "All people cannot be freed from trouble." But Indrani was adamant. She said, "I cannot believe that what you decide cannot be done. You will have to do something." Indra could not help abiding by the feminine stubbornness. He said, "I am not sure. But let me try since you insist."
Indra used his divine power. Soon there were piles of gold at every turning in the village. The news spread like wild fire. Men, women and children eagerly came out of their houses. They stuffed gold in their bags, boxes, baskets and whatever else they had. The whole village was freed from the curse of poverty. Everyone had enough means to live in comfort.
Sometime later, Indra and Indrani came back to the same village. They found that the people of the village were wealthy, but not happy. They all seemed to be in deep melancholy. They could not understand the reason of their melancholy. Some people were standing in a group talking among themselves. One person said, "Who knows who that fool who did such a thing was? He made all of us wealthy. Now before whom can we boast about our wealth? There is no one else here to see."Indra said to Indrani, "You wanted me to free all these people from their trouble. I made all of them rich. But their trouble instead of decreasing has increased. You must realize that trouble arises not because of poverty but because of mental attitudes. So long as their mentality is not refined, their trouble also would not be removed. So long as they do not develop the proper outlook, there would always be new troubles.
How can I Dress Alone?
Mahatma Gandhi was a man with vision. He had a weak and lean body but was very generous at heart. He ate little and wore few clothes. He was a true socialist not merely in thinking but in actual living. His attitude was: When the people of my country are hungry, how can I eat full meals?"
Once a child went up to him and said, "Bapu, why do you wear only a short dhoti and banian? I will give you a full dress to wear." Gandhiji said, "Child, what is the matter? Your mother would not give me a full dress." The child insisted, "Bapu, please do not refuse. My mother is very generous. She has a large heart. She would do what I tell her." Gandhiji said to him persuasively, "My dear son! Only one dress would not be enough for me. I want 30 core dresses. If I do not get as many, how can I wear my dress alone?"
Gandhiji did not stop at eating little food and wearing few clothes. He showed the path of restraint and simplicity to the people of India. He did not wish to keep the country in a state of poverty. He drew people's attention to small industries. He popularized the spinning wheel and showed a new way to solve the problem of unemployment.
Feeling of Affinity
I sent a few monks to Saurashtra. The atmosphere there was very hostile. The monks did not get a place to stay and they did not get enough to eat. On getting that information, I stopped taking milk and restricted the items of food that I ate. I did this without telling anyone about it. But the monks were agitated. They asked me, "Are you not keeping well? Why this change in your diet?" I tried to avoid the answer. My heart had gone out of those monks. I found it unbearable to eat my full meals when they were going hungry.
Sometime later I got the news that the monks in Saurashtra were no longer facing any troubles. With that I resumed taking my usual meals. Gandhi was a great man and his thinking was very high. My experiment was in a limited context. But the feeling of affiliation was common in both the cases.
Something should be Done Now
Had man felt affiliated with the Nature, he would not have been able to mindlessly exploit the natural resources. Unchecked exploitation of natural resources is a direct invitation to destruction. We know that during this sixth era [3] of the descending cycle of Time which is full of extreme penury, only the story of destruction would be written. But there is still a whole period of thousands of years in between. It seems unnatural that what is to happen after a very long time in future is happening now. The change in natural condition has led to a corresponding change in man's thinking, but his behaviour has not changed. How would the environment be balanced so long as his economic outlook is not healthy and balanced?
The problem of environment does not concern any one particular country. The whole world has been affected by it. It is necessary to examine the problem from many sides and find a lasting solution. Time is slipping through our hands. "If not now, then never."
