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this ideal in the practical life is by no means easy. Non-violence is a spiritual ideal, which is fully realisable only in the spiritual plane. The real life of an individual is a physio-spiritual complex ; at this level complete nonviolence is not possible. According to Jaina thinkers the violence is of four kinds (i) Deliberate or aggressive violence i.e. intentional killing, (ii) Protective violence i.e. resorting to violence to save the life of one's own or his fellow being or to ensure peace and justice in the society, (iii) Occupational violence i.e. the violence which one commits in his occupation such as farming, tilling the soil or running factories and industries, (iv) Violence, which is involved in performing the daily routine work of a house-holder such as bathing, cooking, walking etc. A person can proceed towards the fulness of non-violent life to the extent as he rises above the physical level. The first form of violence, which is deliberate, is to be shunned by all, because it relates to our mental proclivities. So far as the thoughts are concerned, a man is his own master, so it is obligatory for all to be non-violent in this sphere. The other forms of violence, i.e. protective, occupational and violence involved in daily routine work are inevitable so far as man is living on a physical level. But this does not mean that the ideal of nonviolence is not practicable and so it is not necessary for human race.
Non-violence is nothing but to treat all living beings as equal. The concept of equality is the core of the theory of non-violence. The preaching of non-violence is to honour the each and every form life. Jainism does not discriminate the human beings on the basis of their caste, creed and colour. According to Jaina point of view, all the barriers of caste, creed and colour are artificial. All the human beings have a equal right to lead a peaceful life. Though violence is unavoidable, yet it can not be the directive principle of our living, because it goes against the judgements of our faculty of reasoning and the concept of natural law. If I think that nobody has any right to take my life then on the ground of same reasoning I have also no right to take another's life; the principle 'live on others' or 'living by killing', is self-contradictory. The principle of equality propounds that every one has a right to live. The directive principle of living is not 'Living on others' or 'Living by killing' but 'Living with others' or 'Live for others' (parasparopagrahojīvānām).12 Though in our world complete non-violence is not possible, yet our motto should be 'lesser killing is better living'.
JAIN JOURNAL
Further we must be aware of the fact that in Jainism non-violence is not merely a negative concept i.e. not to kill ; but it has positive side also
12 Tattvartha-sutra, 5/21.
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| SR No. | 520087 |
| Book Title | Jain Journal 1987 07 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Jain Bhawan Publication |
| Publisher | Jain Bhawan Publication |
| Publication Year | 1987 |
| Total Pages | 88 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India |
| File Size | 4 MB |