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believed in Karma and rebirth, and so our assumption holds good in respect of his teachings as well.
As time flowed on, more and more thought was given apparently to broaden the philosophical as well as the ethical basis of Ahimsā particularly among the Jainas, one of them being formulated thus : the Jiva must run the full gamut of the consequences of its Karma before it can attain Mokşa ; attainment of Mokşa is every Jiva's imperative duty and nothing must be done to impede its fulfilling that duty undisturbed ; impediments to the fulfilment of that duty only intensifies and prolongs the Jiva's sufferings in worldly bondage ; if one Jiva disturbs the running of the full span of another Jiva’s life at any particular stage by killing or hurting it, it commits thereby a sin for very obvious reasons, the evil consequences of which will boomerang back on the disturber itself, for it is the moral duty of every Jiva to help each other in attaining Mokşa, not to impede it, for the sake of the common good of both.
Another reason for the observance of Ahimsā, derived from or as a slight variant of the above, is stated thus, viz., all Jivas desire to live and not to die, therefore destruction of life should be given up. This again emphasises the law of reciprocity, "do unto others as you wish others to do unto you”, so essential for living a corporate life in society in the company of one's fellow travellers, as we all must do in this world.
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