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कापोत
LE
The level and intensity of suffering can best be described by asking the following question, “Is the level and intensity of suffering inflicted on a living being the same no matter how many senses that being possesses?” The answer to this question is, simply, “no.” The level of pain and suffering experienced by a jiva is not the same for all jivas. It depends upon the number of pranas (life forces) in various life forms. Thus, there is a hierarchy of various life forms. In a paper titled “Comprehensive Concept of Ahimsa; Its Application in Real Life,"8 D.R. Mehta writes that: ... the principle of equality of souls is...at times applied or understood wrongly. In Jain canons the synonym of Himsa or violence is the expression 'pranatipata,' which means that the sin of killing is in proportion to the pranas (life forces) taken. It is a subtle aspect, which needs to be explained. Soul is indestructible and what can be killed is only the body. For
8. D.R. Mehta, “Comprehensive Concept of Ahimsa; Its Application in Real
Life,” Jain Study Notes Volume 4.0 (2011): 438-450.
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An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide
