Book Title: Ahimsa the Ultimate Winner
Author(s): N P Jain
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

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Page 230
________________ feeling of antipathy or enmity. One should be friendly towards all creatures". (Acaranga Sutra 1.2.3.4) According to Jain holy scripture Tatvartha sutra practice of non-violence has ingrained in it the attributes of Maitri (friendship), Pramoda (joy), Karuna (sympathy and benevolence), Madhyastha (equanimity and tolerance). Pujyapada Devindu in his work Sarvarthasiddhi has explained it thus: "the desire that other living beings should be free from suffering is friendship (Maitri) and respect and regard for the virtuous and the saintly is joy (Pramod); desire to help the suffering and the needy persons is Karuna; freedom from attachment and spirit of tolerance is Madhyastha." Non-violence in its comprehensive sense applies not just to physical violence but also to the intention to hurt or injure. Violence (Himsa) in Jain texts like Tattvartha Sutra is classified for clarity into Dravya Himsa (the actual hurt) and Bhaava Himsa (the intention to hurt). Both are undesirable. Of particular concern is the violence resorted to with pre-thought and pre-determination (Sankalp Himsa) such as through wars. "Dravya Himsa" develops from "Bhaava Himsa" which is caused by imperfect, emotional, and impure thoughts such as anger, ego, pride, malice, revenge, intolerance, deceit, greed, fear, disdain, passion, lust for power and possessions. And, the thought (Bhaava) is what eventually promotes physical acts of violence. sorrow, Hence, non-violent philosophy emphasizes the importance and imperative of developing in individual minds and hearts a culture of equanimity, non-attachment and self-realization. Jain philosophy expounds that the culture of non-violence cannot develop in an environment of social inequalities and unfair economic exploitation. For extending the application of nonviolence to social/ Ahimsa: The Ultimate Winner ★ (203) Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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