Peace Religious Harmony and Solution of World Problems from Jaina Prespective

SR No.: 001657
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 2002
Total Pages: 70
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Social
File Size: 4 MB

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Though Jaina thinkers accept that complete non-violence as they consider it, is not possible in this worldly life. Yet neither they gave the religious sanction to the violence nor they degraded this ideal of non-violence by saying it as impracticable. Even if some sort of violence is permitted to the house-holders and in some cases to monks in the Jaina scriptures such as Niśithacūrņis etc., they never say that this type of violence is not violence at all. For example, in building the temple of Jina, there will be unintentional violence of one sensed being of earth, water etc. and there may occur unintentional violence of two or more sensed beings. But they never said that violence done in the name of religion is not violence at all, as Vedic scriptures propound. They say that it is a violence, done for the sake of the greater good of the individual and society. It is a little demerit conducive to greater merit. If in a situation violence is inevitable, Jaina thinkers advice to opt the lesser violence for the greater good. Intentional violence of immobile one-sensed living beings for lively-hood and in religious performances is permitted to house holders only. Rational Foundtion of Non-Violence
Mackenzi, an eminent Western scholar, believes that the ideal of non-violence is an outcome of fear. But Indian thinkers in general and Jainas in particular never accepted this view. For them the basis of nonviolence is the concept of equality of all beings. They based this ideal not on the emotional basis buton the firm footings of reason. The Daśavaikālika, a Jaina canonical text of 3rd century B.C. mentions that every one wants to live and not to die. For this simple reason Nigganthas prohibit the violence.!? It is also mentioned that just as pain is not dear to oneself, having known this regarding all other beings, one should treat all the beings equally and should keep sympathy with all of them on the simple basis of equality.18 The simplest rule of our behaviour towards the others is whatever you desire for yourself and whatever you do not desire for yourself, desire that or do not desire that for others." This experience of likeness of all beings and the regard for the right of all to live are the basement for the practice of non-violencelt is not only in Jainism, but in Buddhism and
n and Hinduism also non-violence is supported on the rational ground of equality of all beings.
In Dhamampada Lord Buddha also remarks 'All men tremble at