Introduction to Jainism and its Culture

SR No.: 001605
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Balbhadra Jain
Publisher: Kundkund Gyanpith Indore
Publication Year: 2002
Total Pages: 334
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Religion, & Culture
File Size: 21 MB

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feelings. For example, a farmer tills the land and does other related activities. All these actions entail destruction of innumerable living organisms. On the other hand, there is a fisherman who goes to a lake with his net or a fishing rod. All his days work yields a few fish. In terms of numbers, apparently the farmer is responsible for greater violence than the fisherman is. But the reality is contrary to this. The farmer did not intend to kill those innumerable living organisms. They were killed coincidentally. Therefore, in spite of causing destruction of innumerable beings he will not be called a killer. The fisherman, on the other hand, may have killed only a few fish or not at all during his days work but every moment of the day his intention was to kill. Therefore, he will certainly be called a killer.
When the feelings of a person turn violent he will have to bear the consequences of violence irrespective of whether or not he translates them into action. In the same way if a person coincidentally causes harm to some being during his action he will suffer no consequence of that violence if he is free of any feeling of violence. From the consequences we can guess about the preceding motive feelings and from the existing feelings we can imagine about the consequences.
In some cases there are grave consequences even of minor violence. This is because at the time of committing that violence the feelings of that person were intensely maligned with passions. In some cases there are negligible consequences even of grave violence''. This is because at the time of committing that violence the feelings of that person had only traces of anger and other passions.
There are instances of two persons jointly indulging in an act of violence but as their feelings are different they suffer different consequences.!4 Sometimes one or few individuals indulge in an act of violence but the consequences are suffered by numerous''. For example during the festivals of Nava-Durga animal sacrifice is done before the goddess including that of goat, buffalo, etc. At some places partridgefight, quail-fight, ram-fight, buffalo-fight, and other such displays are arranged. Thousands of people come to enjoy these. In these instances it is not just that the feelings of the organizers or the participating animals are filled with violence, even the onlookers try to support these cruel violent acts by gestures and speech with great enthusiasm. Their gestures and words display cruelty born out of violence. Therefore, the
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