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52
NONVIOLENCE
the general culture of society is so important and the cultural value of the ideal is so great that it forms the basis of the development of the Society as a whole. Some of the women who renounce worldly pleasures, study Jain scriptures and prefer to lead a disciplined life by observing religious vows are called ' Arjikās' or 'Sadhvis’ in Jainism.
Men and women leading a mundane life along with the ascetics and Sadhvis are guided in their lives by the code of ethics prescribed in Jainism. The three basic VOWS called Mülagunas are abstaining from wine and other intoxicating drinks and the use of opium and other drugs, abstaining from the eating of meat and abstaining from eating honey. The observance of these vows saves the house-holder from the injurious effects arising froni indulgence and are based on the following grounds. Wine and other drinks stupify the mind and lead a person to commit violence without hesitation. Pride, fear, enmity, sexual passion and anger are some of the concommitants of drinking which lead to violent acts. Meat cannot be got without the destruction of life. Even the fiesh of a dead animal has spontaneously born germs in it which are killed when cooked and eaten. Finally even the smallest drop of honey may often represent the death of the bees deprived of it.
Afier observing the three basic vows, every householder has to observe five other vows to the fullest extent possible. The first is Ahiṁsā or non-violence. The remaining four are truth, non-stealing, chastity and limiting one's worldy possessions and are prescri
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