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hand of any vandal who so chooses ? The weak and the helpless, the family, they too must be protected. And it is layman's right and duty, to protect himself from attack. In all these instances Jainism enjoins the use of force if necessary. It is the motive, says Jainism, not the actual himsa, that matters. If the motive be pure and the heart not moved by selfish desires, the soul is not adversely affected. What blame attaches to the surgeon, for example, who amputates the limb of a patient to save his life?
The Jaina ideal of ahimsa properly understood and followed, can never lead to anything base or disastrous. On the contrary it leads to the highest ideals and statesmanship, as illustrated in the following pages. Jainism teaches a man to be fearless and there is no instance of a Jaina having deserted the battlefield or turned his back to the enemy. As this book shows Jaina kings and generals have successfully fought and won battles while all the time devoted to the Jaina Religion.
New Delhi. IS 4.41. S
Elisabeth Fraser.
