We know how to cut a tree, but we don’t know how to plant a tree.
Mahavir in Corporate Life:
M = Manage oneself
A = Aim of Life
H = Humanity Development / Have Perseverance
A = Anuvrat
V = Values are Valuation in Business
I = Inner Strength
R = Read Oneself
What is Mahavir?
• Mahavir in Business Organisation is like an HR department and if HR Department does not have the qualities to understand its employees then sooner or later employees will leave and it will affect the growth of the business
• Mahavir in your organisation has great influence in conducting a meaningful meeting as any meeting where Respect and Ethics is part of personality it always results in growth and that’s one of the principles of Mahavira
• Mahavira is like a great Pudgal revolving around you and if so you are lucky you will have the character Accepting Negative and try to turn that into positive. Being positive can easily be achieved 24x 7 by just following principles of Mahavir
• Mahavira’s principle will ensure any and all organisation its Vision very clear
• The clear reading of Constitution of India is a detailed version of Mahavira Panch Vrat
• Mahavir almost thousands of years back due to is clear mind, clear understanding knew the issues might come up at micro and macro level and its principles was very well drawn but sadly we became the students and followers of Modern Economics and now the World Economy is finding its ways to adjust with Mahavir economics
• In today’s age young generations have all facilities which earlier never had and is better capable understanding Mahavir and if we realize this, the growth is just about to knock the door
• Life is not a story and we shall never try to make it as a story. Mahavir never made his life a story but made himself a great human being and we all instead of competing and be like Mahavir made him “Bhagwan” so that we can keep him about human mindset
• Immediate result is purely against the nature of laws. Even if we go by the logic of someone getting immediately results, such results it is purely due to pass life Karma (as per Jain Agam). There is nothing immediate results. Lord Mahavir took 12 years to move ahead for welfare of humanity. Ganadipathi Tulsi took 12 years and started chaturmas beyond Rajasthan and Mahapragya became Acharya after many decades, Sachin reached 200 Runs in ODI after 20 years spending in cricket whereas Karun Nair made 300 runs in 3 test match and now it is no way in the Indian Cricket. Immediate results are just not the concept for better living.
• GPS (Guru Pracharak Sadhu/Sadhvi) is a way to our life growth in all aspects. Google does not work properly in Rajsamand Galliyan but your mind does. Make your mind to beat Google GPS which you can but you need Clarity in goal, Clean mind, clean path and this is possible only if principles are in place
Be Simple
Have Simple Life
Follow Simplicity and
all is Yours
What is making today’s generation to avoid Mahavir’s Teaching?
• Search of fast results
• Quick solution to all problems
• Believing in else but not what is within us
• Modern economy is running in our blood
• Not able to differentiate what is good for us
• A belief of comparison in every moment
• Loss of Patience
• Not aware what is important and balanced from life
• Zero habits of reading good books
• Languages has become priority
• Mindset that Free has Zero Value
PANCH VRATAS IN MODERN DAY
1] Ahimsa (Non-Violence)
We all are well-versed with the concept of non-violence and I believe that the same has even been a part of our history portion as well at the times of School, for it was very basis on which we have gained Independence. But today in the modern era, I believe that non-violence is to be practiced even at the very microscopic level and one such non-violence in the non-violence of the tongue. Acharya Mahapragya ji in one of his books had narrated the story of a Jain Shravak who was newly married and was having regular tiffs with her mother-in-law and husband over the food which she was cooking not being good to taste, because of she was suffering from constant disruption of the mind. She came to Acharya for seeking a solution to this and Acharya Shri only gave her a single suggestion that whenever her mother-in-law would start speaking, she will have to roll her tongue within her mouth until her mother-in-law was talking to her. To the very surprise of her, the problem was resolved and her husband had started liking the food she was making. When she went back to Acharya Mahapragya ji, that is when he explained that when she was entering into a tiff with her in-laws, the negative energy which was generated from her mind and released through her tongue was also getting transferred to the food. So once the violence of the tongue ended, the problem ended. Such fundamental and fruitful are the practices of non-violence.
Key Notes:
• According to The Center for Nonviolent Communication (CNVC), non-violent communication “helps people peacefully and effectively resolve conflicts in personal, organizational, and political settings.”
• Benefits of Non-Violent Communication?
It creates a clear step-by-step process for navigating conflict.
It focuses on the underlying factors of conflict, like needs and emotions.
It does not “wrong” anyone and makes space for all experiences.
It creates an objective way to name the “facts” before jumping into emotions.
• Great Negotiators are those who are brilliant in Non-Violence Communications
2] Satya (Truth)
Speaking the truth is novelty. But isn’t spreading the truth also crucial. This also applies to the sudden surge in use of social media. In a report by a USA based company, it had been actually found that a lie spreads faster that the truth. So now the question comes that do the people present here, check and share what they are sharing is the truth or not? This reminds me of the times when covid was at its very peak and messages were circulating all over whatsapp about the different ways to treat it or escape it and also the news only passed on to create Covid scare. Isn’t this interesting that today, a war can actually be waged by merely sharing a provocative message, because there are people who don’t believe in sharing the truth, the fact and cause a complete chaos in our society. This is where we have to learn the lesson saying the truth does not merely mean saying the truth but it embarks upon us a larger responsibility to also pass on the truth, to spread only the truth and abstain from falsehood and breach of trust.
Truth today is negative in immediate acceptance and positive with no space. Fear has many angels of Darkness. Goal is always achieved where it is lightness in tunnel. Truth means only Satya with no version. If by telling lies life is saved, is this truth. Just think. But it does break the trust a lie is a lie and breaking of trust for any reasons is breaking and golden principle of life is Once trust is broken, then there is always compromise and not trust.
Examples:
• Housing.com – Mr. Rahul Yadav = Fall from Housing.com only due to Behaviour aspect [(a) Publicly abusing VCs and Ridiculing Entrepreneurs; (b) Set a bad example for Employees; Create chaos and (c) Deliberately lying to the media and (d) Erratic, absurd social media behavior]
[Source: https://trak.in/tags/business/2015/07/02/3-ceo-mistakes-rahul-yadav-downfall-from-housing-com/]
• Adani – Valued Trust highly by acting promptly
• Anil Ambani – Though suffered but never ran away from the legal fights
• Ratan Tata = Though slow starter but the Trust value of TATA is higher than any other Companies in India and Globally known for its Values
3] Asetya (Non-Stealing)
Theft or stealing is bad, i.e. the basic principle. But now what do we think of white washed theft? At the very fundamentals, stealing simply means hoarding something which is not rightfully mine. So when a trader promises to sell 1kg wheat but actually sells 950 gm of wheat under the garb of 50 gm kankar, isn’t this stealing as well. Now I agree that some of us would say that this is the business, how will one earn then? But isn’t this the very fundamental of Economics of Mahavira? An economy which runs on the fundamentals of truth is an ideal economy.
Where Truth resides, stealing has no place to make shelter. Stealing not only means physical stealing but mind stealing too. Mind stealing is nothing but breaking of trust. Steal is a pure case of violence in nature and being to truth will never find its place in mind regularly and being so, your failure is nearby. Steal is a violence and if one follows non-violence steal comes and a part of your decision directly or indirectly
Example:
• GoMechanic a start-up made window dressing accounts and made a huge loss of money to investors and this all the trust have been broken and investigation is in process. And this broken the growth machine of that start-up [Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/en-in/news-and-trends/financial-fraud-rocks-the-indian-startup-boat-again/443264 – January 2023: GoMechanic co-founder admits financial misreporting – Financial Fraud Rocks the Indian Startup World Again]
• In Cricket, if a bowlers shoe-less are not proper tied properly, he/she cannot bowl for reason that his/her mind and concentration goes away and in same way if there is a mind used to steal, the whole aim goes away and this does take the failure route if not early then for surely later in future
4] Aparigraha (Non-Attachment)
This is the most vital vrata in my opinion, for it determines the strength of a person. If one is able to practice non-attachment, he will successfully be able to not get attached to any situation, god or bad, any place, pleasant or unpleasant, any person, appealing or non-appealing, any work, profitable or not, or any ideal. Non-attachment allows one to actually go with the flow. So if we say that life is a river, instead of fighting with life i.e. resisting its flow, one shall be able to go with its current and use its current for its own strength. I believe the only example which comes to mind is the example of the TATA Group of Industries. They had started as a company for metal extrusion in India. But they were never attached solely to it. With the changing world, they have very cleverly adapted and changed their business model to get accustomed to new sectors like IT as well. However, if I have to give an example of a person than I believe the most appropriate example shall be of Acharya Tulsi Ji. During his tenure, Acharya Shri Tulsi was well in touch with all the prominent leaders then, had it been the Prime Minister, the Cabinet Ministers or the Religious Leaders of other sects or the leading industrialists, who would often praise Acharya Shri for his laudable work and teachings. But he never made that affect his behaviour. His behaviour was the same for all the people who met him and even after being in touch with such influential personalities, he always practice samta. Hence, non-attachment to words of praises, I believe is also an important lesson to be learned
Any attachment develops human love and fear. As human we tend to get emotions. Avoiding being emotional completely is thought no impossible but yes difficult as we have become the product of Modern Economy and Modern Talks with no base. Modern Economics only goal is “anyhow sell and earn” and now later achieving this feat the world are sharing the views on Sustainable development which Mahavira Economics already covered long back. Balance of both theory is the only way to move ahead and save planet and helping nature and other animals to survive else we are to be blamed for all bad things happening in our life and others too. Balance of both arises out of doctrine of Anekantwad. Attaches leads to bad results.
Example:
• Pvt Ltd and Public Listed ltd is the best example to understand attachment and non-attachment. The more you are attached to the share owners, you will not be able to make it big and vice-versa it can become as MNC.
• Even in politics one party who is attached is failing badly and other who are in public are doing brilliant in all aspects.
5] Relations
Keeping Relations is a big task now a days and infact most talked and heard topics all over the world. Relations if made simple can have longer impact but human desire have grown to next level and leisure has becomes their happiness and desire has no end. Truth, Trust and Non-Violence is the key to have good relations and sadly it is lacking majorly in today generation.
Example:
• Relations between Ganadipathi Tulsi and Acharya Mahapragya was purely of truth, Respect, Trust and this has brought altogether a new revolution in Jain Literature and vision.
• Relation of Modi and Shah has brought BJP to everywhere and now across the globe. Intangible Property has more value nowadays rather than Tangible and balance of both is the answer. Even in LIC and policies, Dynamic fund and stable fund are opted for stability growth
The below short poem sums-up the reason why we need Mahavira around us?
If wealth is lost, nothing is lost
If health is lost, something is lost
If character is lost, everything is lost
Relevant points to be noted:
• The present economic progress has ignored small projects, small businesses, cottage industries, labour intensive businesses, house-hold businesses, and traditional businesses. There is emphasis on large projects, large businesses, large organisations and large industries. These large units are mammoth, they can get the policies converted in their favour. The financial analysts also favour the large projects. Huge resources of the country (and borrowed resources also) are diverted towards these large projects, which ultimately prove to be a burden on the economy, but it is always too late and by that time, the negative impact on the country is already there.
• Estimated reserve of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium ore found in Salal-Haimna areas of J&K’s Reasi district = Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi has said that an estimated reserve of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium ore has been found by Geological Survey of India GSI while carrying out mineral exploration project in Salal-Haimna areas of Reasi district in Jammu and Kashmir = https://newsonair.com/2023/03/20/jk-estimated-reserve-of-5-9-million-tonnes-of-lithium-ore-found-by-gsi-in-salal-haimna-areas-of-reasi-district/
Why we need Mahaveera Economics:
• Volkswagen is still struggling with the aftermath of the 2015 revelation that it cheated on emissions tests
• Noting that terrorism, climate change and inequality are the key challenges facing the world, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today hailed Lord Mahavir Jain’s principles of “ahimsa, anekant and aparigriha” as the solutions to these issues. There are three key challenges before us. Terrorism, climate change and inequality. And it is a coincidence that, if we identify, three things (principles) come to fore in Mahavir Darshan, ahimsa (non-violence), anekant (unity in diversity) and aparigriha (renunciation). If we look for solutions to these problems, then those are lying in these principles,” Swaraj said. Lord Mahavir said acquire enough to survive but avoid anything in excess. Inequality increases when stress is given on excess. Rich become richer, while poor become poorer (if one focuses on excess). Mahavir Jain’s message of aparigriha is relevant in dealing with the issue of inequality,” she added.
(https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/solution-to-worlds-problems-in-lord-mahavirs-principles-sushma-swaraj/articleshow/51842274.cms?from=mdr)
• Bhagwan Mahavira’s teachings are in consonance with the need to mitigate economic disparity. He preached that both non-availability and excess availability are dangerous. The concentration of wealth in the hands of a few is one of the causes for growing intolerance today. Bhagwan Mahavira preached for eliminating the feeling of possessiveness and replacing it with the concept of trusteeship of wealth. He showed the virtue of this ideal by his own example. He renounced his wealth completely and led the life of a recluse to attain true knowledge. Ladies and Gentlemen, Bhagwan Mahavira’s doctrine talks of multi-faceted development. He had said, (quote): “The nature of all living beings is to be happy. Every one wishes to eliminate pain so that he or she can be happy forever” (unquote). At a macro level, the happiness of a country or community rests on the pillars of sustainable development, preservation and promotion of cultural values, conservation of natural environment, and establishment of good governance. These are imperative goals of any democratic polity today, and they have great potential for being realized by adhering to Bhagwan Mahavira’s teachings. The three A’s of Ahimsa, Anekanta and Aparigraha of Bhagwan Mahavira’s philosophy can provide answers to many modern day problems.
[SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA, SHRI PRANAB MUKHERJEE AT THE SEMINAR ON “SOLUTION OF GLOBAL CHALLENGES THROUGH MAHAVIRA PHILOSOPHY” ORGANIZED ON THE OCCASION OF MAHAVIR JAYANTI – Rashtrapati Bhavan Auditorium, New Delhi: 22-04-2013]