Basic Principles Of Jainism

Author(s): Narayan Lal Kachhara
Publisher: Narayan Lal Kachhara

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Umasvami has defined himsa to mean the severance of any of the vitalities by one
actuated by passion. Jainism holds that the immobile beings possess four vitalities, pranas, viz., touch, energy, respiration and life-duration. The mobile beings possess besides the above, any two or more of the senses viz., senses of taste, smell, sight, hearing and speech. Those endowed with the mind have in all ten vitalities. Thus injury is caused by severance of any of the vitalities in a mobile or immobile being. Such injury causes pain and suffering to life. He who causes injury with passion or through carelessness is guilty of himsa. Himsa may be either bhava-himsa under the influence of passions, or dravya himsa where there is physical injury.
Umasvami has prescribed five rules of restraint for being firm in the observance of the vow of non-injury. Control of speech, control of thought, regulation of movement, care in lifting and placing things or objects and examination of food and drink before taking in, are the five observances. Self-control is of vital importance. Since one is required to refrain from hurting the feelings of others to observe the vow of Ahimsa, control of speech and thought are quite essential. Everyone ought to be careful in his movements for fear of causing hurt or harm to a living being through carelessness. Similarly one ought to be careful while placing down things or objects lest they should hurt some tiny being. Such precaution has also to be taken even while lifting up any object. Similarly it is necessary to examine minutely one's own food or drink before taking it in, making sure that there is no tiny being in it.
Jainism makes a distinction between bhava-himsa (intention to hurt) and dravya-himsa or the actual causing of hurt. That is why five kinds of restraints have been expressly mentioned above as the cautions to be observed by one who wants to desist from causing hurt. Similarly, a distinction is made between suksma-himsa and stuhla-himsa. The former requires abstention from causing hurt to life in any form while the latter requires abstention from hurting forms of life possessing two or more senses. It is not possible for a house-holder to refrain from causing hurt to forms of life with one sense like plants, trees, crops etc. He must however refrain causing unnecessary harm to ekendriya and sthavara jivas, but it is ordained that a monk should desist from causing himsa to any form of life.
As a practical religion, Janism has considered what is normally possible for an average person. Himsa is of two kinds: samkalpi (intentional) and arambhi (occupational). Hunting, offering animal sacrifice, killing for food or sport is instances of intentional himsa. Abstinence from them is possible with no harm to anybody. Arambhi himsa is himsa committed by a householder in the ordinary course of his living. It is of three kinds: 1) Udyami, 2) Graharambhi and 3) Virodhi.
Udyami: A house-holder has to follow some occupation or the other in order to support himself and his family. Jainism regards six occupations as permissible: i) asi or sword. It is open to a person to become a soldier or some other officer who has to use a sword or weapon in the discharge of his duties; ii) masi or ink. One can follow the occupation of a writer or work in any office or business where writing is required to be done; iii) krisi or agriculture. A person can
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