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Jainism in a Global Perspective
of injuring a small plant or insect, leave alone a human being or animal kingdom. According to him, life in whatever form it may be, should be respected. We have no right to take others' life because "savve Jīvā vi icchamti, jïvium na marijjium" ' /-- nobody wants to die, everyone wants to live as we do. But treating all life as sacred, Bhagavana Mahavira gave an entirely new vision of Ahimsa. His protest against violence to all living beings was a magnificent human gesture and it made people aware of the innate dignity of all forms of life.
The comprehensive orientation of the Concept of Non-Violence
Sometimes it is believed that the concept of Ahimsā is impracticable and unrealistic. Because it is impossible to carry on with the activities of life without injuring someone at some time. The activities of eating, drinking and even the process of inhaling and exhaling involve some Himsā. But according to Bhagavana Mahavira Ahimsa is an attribute of mental state. It is the inner motive with which one does a particular act that determines whether it is Himsa or Ahimsa. Sometimes through the sheer love of the individual or through a desire to do him good, a mother has to utter harsh words which pierce te heart of the child. But this is not Himsā, as the mother's intention is the child's welfare.
Jainism defines Himsä as
pramattyogāt prāṇavyapropaṇam hiṁsā© -
-doing injury to life through pramatta yoga, i.e. determination to hurt or injure someone with a specific motive by mind, body and speech. A mere intention to hurt someone is Himsä, irrespective of whether Hiṁsă occurs externally or not. For example, a person who intends to murder someone but fails in his attempt still commits Himsä. But a doctor who takes an incision during an operation does not commit Himsã despite the external act of cutting of one's body.
It is the inner self, the source of all evil and good and before one does any harm to anybody, one harms himself by his passions and evil motives. Therefore, to avoid Himsãexternally, one ought to be cautious about one's own self. When man commits Himsä, first he harms himself, kills the essence of his own soul and becomes violent within himself, which hinders his entire spiritual progress. So Himsă should be avoided not only
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| SR No. | 014010 |
| Book Title | Jainism in a Global Perspective - Collection of Jain papers of 1993 Parliament of World Religions, Chicago |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Sagarmal Jain, Shreeprakash Pandey |
| Publisher | Parshwanath Vidyapith |
| Publication Year | 1998 |
| Total Pages | 402 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Seminar & Articles |
| File Size | 23 MB |