Acharya Mahaprajna
I wish that if anyone wants to take cue from my introspection and willpower, he should dedicate himself to a person from whom he can get something and carry out his instructions. Dedicating oneself wholly to one’s guru is a mantra of success. Today is the day of sankalp (firm resolve or resolute determination). Let us pledge ourselves to live a life of firm determination. Let us strengthen our resolve. It has enormous power in it.
There was a voice from heaven - “For twelve years not a single drop of rain will fall on the earth.” The farmers were worried. However when the rainy season arrived, the farmers reached their fields with their ploughs and implements. There was again a voice from the heaven - “Did you not hear the declaration that not a drop of rain water would fall on the earth? Why are you wasting your time and energy by ploughing the dry land?” The farmers said - “Oh Indra! You may allow the rain to fall or not, it is your wish. But if we do not plough the land, our future generation will become idle. If we remain sitting idle for twelve years, our children will forget how to use ploughs.” It is said that this resolutness in their will softened Lord Indra’s heart. He sent so much rains that the earth was drenched. Whatever great might be the difficulties or problems, what is necessary is that deep in our heart of hearts we awaken this resolve.
Now I would like to say something about sankalp. We pledge that this year we will carry out more experiments in the field of ahimsa. We have to pay heed to nonviolence training. The question of hunger and employment is also intimately connected with it. If the government takes a pledge that no student will be allowed to leave the institute of learning without undergoing training in fair means of livelihood, many of our problems are likely to be solved. The second pledge a government is required to take is that no person in its province will starve or go to bed hungry. It will not be fair if we only expect everything from others. They also have their problems and limitations. Our workers should pay attention to the problem as to how they can make use of ahimsa in their daily life.
There are two more burning problems today i.e. feticide and drug addiction. We have to see that we make special efforts in both these areas. I ask Yuvacharya Mahashraman to take an oath that he will not allow the graph of learning in the Terapanth Jain Religious Order to go down. It is on the ascent at present. I have put forward some views on sankalp and introspection. Pay heed to them, solve a problem by adopting anekant lifestyle (non-absolutist attitude) and try to understand the ultimate reality and secrets of anekant (non-absolutism).
Acharya Mahapragya addressing the valedictory session of the Nonviolence Leadership Training Camp at the Peace Palace, Rajsamand
