$JES 401 Jain Philosophy and Practice 2 Level 4 Book

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Page 53

One should not say a lie out of attachment or hatred. Gross falsehoods are those where there is an evil intention with knowledge. It is justified to hide the truth and remain silent to protect a life. Four kinds of Falsehood: • Denying the existence of a thing with reference to its position, time and nature when it actually
exists Assertion of the existence of a thing with reference to its position, time and nature when it does
not exist • Where a thing is represented to be something different from what it actually is
• When speech is ordinarily condemnable, sinful and disagreeable Any speech actuated by passion is false. Back biting, harsh, and unethical speech is utterly disapproved. Speech, which provokes another to engage in any kind of injury or destruction of life, is sinful. A disagreeable speech causes uneasiness, pain, hostility, grief, anguish etc., to another person. When a saint or a preceptor gives sound advice against vices or questionable habits of life, he cannot be said to indulge in false speech, even though the person affected may feel ashamed or uncomfortable. Umäsväti has advised that a person who wants to be truthful ought to give up anger, greed, cowardice, fearfulness, and teasing. Divulging of secrets, slander, backbiting, forgery and perjury are obstacles to truth. One must use caution against exaggeration, faultfinding and indecent speech and one should always speak what is "noble, beneficial and concise". One must avoid boasting of one's own merits and avoid jealousy about the merits of others. This would draw one unconsciously into falsehood. To describe a thing as it is or an event as it happened is generally regarded as the truth, and factually, no doubt it is the truth. From the religious standpoint, it may or may not be the truth. If the factual truth is beneficial or at least not harmful to others, it is worthy of being called the truth. However, if the factual truth is harmful to others, it is not worthy of being regarded as the truth. So, mere factually truthful statements should not be uttered, if they are harmful to a living being. For example, if we know the direction in which a deer has gone, it is justified to hide this information from a hunter. Therefore, in such a situation, keeping silent or showing the hunter a wrong direction in order to save the creature is our duty and religion. It is absolutely necessary to be cautious and to use one's power of discrimination and discretion to decide whether or not one should make a statement of fact. Five Transgressions (Atichär) of this Vow
Giving wrong advice about any matter and misleading people in matters of belief or conduct is very objectionable and must therefore be avoided. False accusations Disclosure of confidential information, which one may have overheard or told, is similarly objectionable. Slandering others or talking about the weaknesses of other people should not be indulged in, as it will damage the prestige of the people concerned. Divulging the secrets of others or breaking the promise of secrecy involves untruth. Committing perjury or forgery: This includes keeping false accounts, documents, and carrying on false propaganda about others.
Committing breach of trust or misappropriation of what is entrusted to an individual in confidence. 03. Achaurya Anu-vrata (Non-Stealing) It is also known as Sthul Adattädäna Viraman-vrata. Umäsväti defines stealing as taking what is not properly given (Adattädäna). The gross vow of non-stealing can be observed by desisting from taking away any kind of property that is not actually given by the owner. It injures the purity of thought and pains the person who is deprived of his property. The desire to possess other's property without his consent or knowledge involves spiritual degradation of the self. One
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