$JES 904 Compendium of Jainism (Jain Academic Bowl Manual 3rd Edition)

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

Page 80

PHILOSOPHY
Mäyä-Mrushäväda
Mithyatva-Shalya
17
18
01. Pränätipät (Violence or Himsa):
Pränätipät means to injure one or more of the ten Pränas (vitalities) of a living being. This word is formed by two words. Präna means vitalities of a living being, and Atipäta means to kill or to hurt. Therefore, Pränätipät means to cause suffering or to kill any of the vitalities of living beings. Everybody agrees and understands that physical violence is wrong. Meat, chicken, seafood, and even eggs; all these things are obtained by killing other living beings. So it is all considered violence. Hunting and fishing games is also violence. Our harsh words and even our thoughts may cause violence. Name-calling and offensive, hateful, bitter or harsh language cause verbal violence.
Malice
Wrong beliefs
B10 - Punya and Päp Karma
Great Ächärya Umäsväti defines - "Pramatta Yogät Präna Vyaparopanam Himsä." To injure or to kill a living being because of non-vigilance or ignorance (Pramäda) is Himsä. One cannot find peace by pursuing a course of violence. Injury with carelessness and passion is Himsä.
Every living being wants to live and no one wants to die. Hurting or killing any living beings by physical means, words, or in thoughts is called Himsä. According to Bhagawän Mahävir, "one should behave the way he likes others to behave towards him", and "that as we like to live comfortably, all other beings also would like to live a comfortable life". The message is 'Live and help others live'. Ahimsa holds the key position in the whole scheme of ethical discipline. Giving protection to living beings is the true religion. The true religion is based on compassion - compassion is the root of the tree of religion. For householders, abstaining from intentionally injuring mobile living beings through mind, words, or body in any of the two ways, oneself or through others is called Sthul Pränätipät Viraman-Vrata or Ahimsa-Anu-vrata.
Himsä is of two forms:
⚫ Inherent in one's occupation
⚫ Unrelated to one's occupation
⚫ Sukshma (minute) Himsä is the act of harming any one sense living being.
Sthul (gross) Himsä is the act of harming living beings with two senses or more, known as Trasa (mobile) Jivas.
Himsä can also be divided as:
The Himsä related to one's profession is further divided into three categories: (1) Udyami, (2) Gruhärambhi and (3) Virodhi.
Udyami:
The householder, in order to support himself and his family, has to get involved in an occupation and his occupation may involve Himsä. Therefore, householders should undertake occupations that involve less forms of Himsä.
Gruhärambhi:
Some kind of Himsä is involved while carrying out the manifold domestic duties and other obligations. Preparation of food, use of water in bathing and washing clothes, keeping animals for farming, maintenance of gardens, cutting fruits and flowers are some of such instances; and whatever Himsä involved in such household obligations is permissible with the thought of minimizing as much as possible.
Virodhi:
It is committed generally in self-defense or in the protection of people or property of members of the family, relatives or friends. In the ordinary course of life, one has to defend himself from thieves, robbers or enemies in battle. If one is a soldier, defense of his country is an obligatory duty; but he is not expected to indulge in unnecessary Himsä as a matter of hostility or revenge.
Page 80 of 398
Compendium of Jainism - 2015