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Chapter
8
HIMSA IN MAKING A LIVING (AARAMBHI HIMSA)
I
In some cases, himsa committed in the name of earning a living, in business and in investment, for example, exceeds and surpasses many other kinds of himsa in intensity, magnitude, and the number of living creatures affected or harmed.
Please note that many of the examples mentioned here are meant only to create a personal dialog and self-introspection and do not mean that all Jains, or even a majority of the Jains, engage is these practices.
AHIMSA & ETHICS IN BUSINESS: A PREREQUISITE
The primary objective of any business is to make money and to maximize the profit or return on investment. There is nothing wrong with this objective. A business is not a charity. Business people provide necessary goods and services to their clients and to the society. Just consider the occupation of farming. A farmer grows food to make his living but at the same time fulfils the basic needs of humanity; in securing his personal livelihood, he sustains other communities with employment, food, and goods. Gandhi Ji said, "Business without morality is a deadly sin," and "There is enough in this world for every one's needs but not enough even for one man's greed."
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An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide
