Jains are known as the most extreme of pacifists. They will not even kill a mosquito. Satish Kumar, a well-known peace activist and founder of Schumacher College, spent 9 years as a Jain monk. He tells the following allegorical story of the founding of Jainism. > Mahavir was born a prince and became a monk. He renounced all material possessions. His followers always wanted him to come to their homes; they saw it as a privilege to give him food. Since begging was so easy, Mahavir wondered, “How do I make it difficult for myself to get food?” He believed that fear of difficulties can be overcome only by going through and experiencing them. > > So he undertook an experiment, and according to legend he made the following vow: “I will take food only if it is given to me by a princess whose father has been defeated in battle. This princess should have been sold in the market place as a slave. And when this princess offers me food, she must offer me boiled lentils, nothing else. Furthermore, her foot should be chained, and there should be tears in her eyes. When these conditions are met, only then will I take food.” > > Can you imagine a test like this? So much stony ground to cross? He did not want the stones to be cleared from his path; he wanted stones put on the path to make his life difficult. So he went from house to house, from village to village, from town to town, looking for such a princess. Weeks passed. He was walking hungry. It so happened that there had been a battle between two kings in the territory where Mahavir was begging. One king was defeated. The victorious soldiers invaded the palace, took jewellery, weapons, clothes, and the princess. They said, “We will sell this princess and make lots of money.” So they brought her to the marketplace and sold her as a slave. She was bought by a merchant. One day he had to go away on business and didn’t want the princess to escape, so he shackled her ankle and chained her to the doorframe of the house. He said, “If you get hungry, here are some boiled lentils. Tomorrow I will return.” > > Mahavir came to this village, and eventually he passed by the merchant’s house. He recognized the princess in chains, and she recognized him as Mahavir. She said, “In my misfortunes, at least you, Mahavir, great saint, have come to me. I am blessed! I have some boiled lentils to offer you.” The princess was so happy. Mahavir looked at her. She was a princess, with a father defeated in a battle, she had been sold in the market place, and was chained by one foot with only boiled lentils to offer. All the conditions were met but one, she was smiling. > > “I cannot take this food,” Mahavir thought. > > As he turned away, tears started to fall from the eyes of the princess. She cried out, “Even you, Mahavir, have abandoned me in my misfortune. I thought at least you would be kind and bless me by receiving some food from my hands.” > > Mahavir turned back and saw her tears. All his conditions were met. He cupped his hands before the princess, and she ladled lentils into them. At that moment, the heavens opened. Angels dropped rose petals from the sky in celebration, and the chain on the leg of the princess was released. The princess, Chandanbala, and Mahavir became enlightened, and together they founded the Jain religion. --- Source: [[Reference Notes/Books/Elegant Simplicity|Elegant Simplicity]]