Ahimsa and Jainism

Author(s): Vijayvallabhsuri
Publisher: Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi

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(satya), Non-stealing (asteya), Celebacy (brahmacarya) and Non-possession of Property (aparigraha). Monks are required to observe these vows rigorously, the householders enjoy some leniency. The other vows, however, can be looked upon as sorts of corollaries to the first. Falsehood, stealing, incontinence and possessory attachment inevitably involve violence. Eschewing these becomes an obvious duty for him who holds all life sacred.
Why Jainisni attaches that high importance 10 Ahimsa ? One would be tempted to advance an historical explanation. Jainism and Buddhism formed leading parts of the reformative movement that developed, during the post-Upanisadic period, against Brahmanic animal sacrifices and ritualism and hence their : overemphasis. on non-injury to creatures can be well understood as an antithesis. But such an explanation would fail to adequately account for the central place Ahimsa occupies in the Jaina code of conduct. Evidently, spiritual considerations should have led Jaina seers to pronounce violence as most harmful to one's ownself. For doing violence to others is invariably associated with self-degradation. In harming others We harm ourselves. It is thyself whom thou intendest to kill", says Acaranja one of the earliest
Sacred books of the Jains. Violence presupposes