SHRAVANABELAGOLA: Peter Flugel of the Centre for Jain studies in the University of London is of the view that it is difficult to combat terrorism through ideals of any religion as they are understood and practised by very few people across the world.

Dr. Flugel, who teaches Jainism, Indology, social science and art history is here to participate in the five-day all-India convention of Jain scholars being held here in connection with the Mahamastakabhisheka in February.

Speaking to The Hindu, he observed that Ahimsa was promoted by all religions, and it was not limited to Jainism. Everybody talks about it, but nobody practices it. The only way to combat terrorism is through practising Ahimsa in an effective manner, he said.

About the perception of the Mahamastakabhisheka in Britain, Dr. Flugel said very few people know about the event. The awareness is restricted to Jain scholars and those belonging to the Digamabara Jain sect. "Interest is somewhat limited," he said.

Asked to what extent the ideals of Jainism were relevant to contemporary society in the wake of global terror, Dr. Flugel said the values propounded, especially Ahimsa, would get importance only when they were brought into practice. Those who were committing violence had started claiming that they were indulging in it for a "good" cause.

On whether Jain leaders and swamijis could address the problem by convincing leaders and others, he said: "community leaders are not politicians usually, though they have influence over them. They can only lobby and make some noise. I don't think it will help in any manner. But the problem can be solved to some extent if people believed in Ahimsa," he said.

Pragmatism was important in solving the problem, as the ground realities were totally different. Though conventions of this kind create an opportunity to discuss the problem at length, it would not make any political impact as such, Dr. Flugel observed.

Materialism

To a question whether the younger generation in the West was able to appreciate the rejection of materialism as professed by Jain munis, Dr. Flugel said his students had succeeded in that. "At this moment, more people in the West are anti-materialistic than those in India."

Describing the terrorist attack on the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore as a terrible event, Dr. Flugel said such incidents should not repeat.

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