Jain Journal 2008 01 No 03

SR No.: 520269
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 2008
Total Pages: 56
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 3 MB

Page 25

SatyaRanjanBanerjee:Contributionofthe Jainsin Developing MoralFibresoftheIndians
129
“Oh Jājali, without injuring the animals or doing less injury (to animals), if one lives, that is a great religion. I want to live by following that religion.”
In this way in many passages Tulādhāra goes on saying that ""there is no higher law than forbearance towards all living beings. Therefore the breeding of cattle is cruel, because it involves the torturing and killing of animals. Cruel, too, is the keeping of slaves and traffic in living creatures. Every agriculture is full of sin, for the plough wounds the earth and kills many innocent animals.” To this Jājali replies--
krsņā hyannam prabhavati tatas tvam asi jīvasi/ paśubhis coșadhibhisca martyā jīvanti vanijaḥ // tato yajñaḥ prabhavati nāstikyam api jalpasi /
na hi varted ayam loko vārtām utsrjya kevalān // "Food is produced by agriculture, and you, too, are living on it, people live on cattle-breeding and agriculture from that sacrifice is performed, you are talking like an atheist, people could not live alone by giving up the business of his livelihood.”
To this Tulādhāra replies with a long discourse upon the true sacrifice which should be offered without the desire for reward, without priestly deception, and without the killing of living beings. Then he goes on praising the ahiṁsā which is, in fact, a slogan of the day.
ahimsā paramo dharmas tathāhiṁsā paro damaḥ/
ahimsā paramaṁ dānam ahimsā paramaṁ tapaḥ // "Non-violence (ahińsā) is the highest religion, in the same way ahiṁsā is the highest restraint, ahiṁsā is the highest gift, and ahiṁsā is the highest penance.”
sarva - yajñeșu vā dānam sarva-tīrtheșu vā plutam /
sarva-dāna-phalaṁ vāpi naitat tulyam ahimsayā // “Ahimsā is the best gift in all sacrifices, it is a raft (boat) in all tirthas, oreven it is the result of all gifts, nothing can be compared with aḥimsā.”