Ahimsa and Jainism

Author(s): Vijayvallabhsuri
Publisher: Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi

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painter's turn now to keep watch. He saw the statue and painted it. Next the weaver got up, who made a beautiful garnient and dressed the statue. Lastly, the Brahmin's turn cane. He looked at the statue, which was of a woman, beautifully painted and dressed, and thought that without life it was not of much use. So with his knowledge of magic and mysticism, he introduced life into it. At daybreak there stood before them a beautiful woman. Each one claimed the sole credit of making her. They quarrelled and quarrelled until they came to the conclusion that each one had contributed his share in the production of the woman,
We see the same spectacle in the religious and philosophical world, each system claiming the sole credit of having given to the world the whole truth.
“Jain" (properly speaking, “Jaina") means a follower of Jina, which is a generic term applied to those persons (men and women) who conquer their lower nature (passion, hatred and the like) and bring into prominence the highest. There lived many such Jinas in the past and many will doubtless yet be born. Of such Jinas those who become spiritual heads and regenerators of the
community are called Arhats (the deserving ones),