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ANNOTATION 150: Violence, untruth, stealing, noncelebacy, acquisitiveness and post-sunset dinner these are six avratas (i. e. infringement of the six vows). Is it possible that anybody practising anyone of these six infringements can save himself from the non-observance of the other vows? Can any one who is acquisitive save himself from causing violence? Can anyone practising violence save himself from acquisitiveness? In reply to all these questions Bhagavan Mahāvīra laid down the following principle There are two fundamental evils- attachment and aversion. Violence, acquisitiveness etc. are nothing but their modifications. Motivated by attachment and aversion, if anyone practises acquisitiveness, he also commits violence etc. Complete forswearing of all the six avratas can be done jointly only and not separately. It is not possible that a muni may practise non-violence but not nonacquisitiveness or may practise non-acquisitiveness without practising non-violence. These great vows (i. e.. mahavratas) are practised simultaneously or violated simultaneously. They are acquired when pratyakhyānāvarana -kasaya (which is one type of passion) has subsided, while they are violated when it comes into force. The mahāvratas cannot be observed or violated in any number less than six. Therefore the above principle can be enunciated in the context of acquisitiveness as follows:
One who violates the vow of non-acquisitiveness also violates other Mahavratas namely, non-violence etc.
Another interpretation of this aphorism is as follows:
ĀYĀRO
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It is possible that one who causes violence to any one (system of living beings) can cause violence to anyone of the six systems of living beings (i. e. he causes violence to all the six systems).
Jain Education International 2010_03
For a sadhaka,violence to all living beings is prohibited. This total prohibition creates the right temperament towards non-violence. If the killing of a particular system of beings is allowed and that of another system or systems of beings is prohibited, the right attitude towards non-violence cannot be friendly towards other systems of beings. In the epoch of Bhagavan Mahavira some friars used to justify themselves by saying that they killed no other living being except
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