Jainism a Way of Life

SR No.: 250176
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: B P Wadia
Publisher: Z_Vijay_Vallabh_suri_Smarak_Granth_012060.pdf
Publication Year: 1956
Total Pages: 8
Language: English
Classification: Article & Philosophy
File Size: 552 KB

Page 5

JAINISM : A WAY OF LIFE
173
foes, greater will be his victory if he conquers nobody but himself.
"Fight with your self; why fight with external foes? He who conquers himself through himself, will obtain happiness."-Uttaradhyayana Sutra
Now the Acāranga Sütra has a very strange but encouraging teaching: "He who conquers one passion conquers many. And he who conquers many, conquers one."
It is a strange law which all true mystics have pointed to: one moral weakness overcome and transmuted pushes out numerous cognate vices. Equally strange but true is the second clause. When numerous weaknesses are overcome our main, fundamental, moral and sin-creating weakness not only weakens but disappears.
Each man, each woman has in the lower, violence-fraught nature a foundational vice-pride, or lust, or vanity, or anger, or greed, or ambition, etc. For a whole incarnation the one besetting weakness works havoc. In the higher nature is wisdom with its dual aspect-knowledge and intuition (Jñana and Darsana according to Jaina psycho-philosophy). It is by this Wisdom-Nature that the foibles, the frailties and the falsehoods of the carnal being are vanquished.
Now, in waging this greatest of all wars there comes a temptation : because we do not like to fight our own vices, the force of violence (Hiṁsā) inherent in our lower nature finds ways and means to gain expression and outlet and so we become violent to others. Violence in deeds and words, in emotions and thoughts. Myriad are the expressions of violence. In many ways we use violence: there is violence at home and at places of business as well as in recreation; there is civic violence; there is social and political violence; there is violence against classes and castes and creeds. National and international violence means wars. All widespread expressions of violence spring from the seed of violence in the lower man. And because we have within our carnal mind the seed of HimsăViolence, we attract to ourselves many types of violence from othersrelatives and friends, employers and employees, and also from organized groups who use violence.
The Jaina foundational teaching is Ahimsă, and so it advocates very clearly the doctrine of "Resist not evil;” or, better-phrased, “Resist without resisting." Others may be and are violent; true Jainas are prohibited from retaliation. So, the Dasa-Vaikälika Niryūkti instructs definitely : "Subdue anger by forgiveness; conquer vanity by humbleness; overcome