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In the same way every being dislikes death and is afraid of death. It is a psychological reality that fear of death is more agonizing than death itself. The pain of hanging is insignificant if compared with the torture of waiting to be hanged. The pain of hanging is momentary whereas the pain of waiting continues for a much longer period.
Thus death, pain, fear, torture, and crime are all names of himsă or violence. Himsä is such a code that is made up of ego only; it may be pride, selfishness, anger or in any other form. All efforts there are directed at fulfillment of one's lust and desires. There is no consideration for the desires or rights of others. When we do not respect desires of others they also do not respect our desires. This leads to antagonism, which in turn gives rise to anger and then vengeance. Thus violence committed just once launches a sequence of vengeance. We are absorbed in thoughts of harming and killing others and they are busy thinking about harining and killing us. This way every being in this world gets overwhelmed with distrust and hatred for and fear of other beings.
This sequence of antagonism does not end with the end of this life, it continues in the new birth. This violence committed once launches a long chain of antagonism. The resulting sequence of misery overwhelms the peace and happiness of many lives. From this perspective try to assess how many beings are tormented and killed by one being. He has to face the animosity of all those beings. This way one being is caught in the complex web of antagonism of infinite beings. As a result of this he has to suffer terrible agony for many rebirths.
In fact, hiinsa is opposition and antagonism for all entities?!. Hirnsā, in itself, is an act of cruelty. It entails misery during the process as well as in consequence. Himsā, thus, is just another name of misery. Thus it should be avoided completely.
EQUALITY WITH ALL ENTITIES: THE BASIS OF AHIMSĀ
· Every individual knows that other beings also suffer pain and pleasure just like him, but when he harms another being he is insensitive to the pain of the other being. Knowledge and experience
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| SR No. | 001605 |
| Book Title | Introduction to Jainism and its Culture |
| 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 |