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| The Jain Principle of Ahimga,
dear to all. All want to live. Therefore do not kill or trouble any one.”
What more proof can we produce for the excellence of Ahimsa ? But now the question is how to practise such Ahimsa, The world is full of living beings and all our actions and movements such as eating, drinking, walking and working tend to cause some kind of Himsa i. e. harm to living beings every day. We cannot move our limbs even without doing some ' Himsa '. Therefore such Ahimsa cannot be practised so long as we live and act, they say.
A short account of the various kinds of Ahimsa and of the people competent to practise them, will clear this point very well. The scriptures enumerate several types of Ahimsa, for example, Broad Ahimsa, Subtle Ahimas; Physical Ahimas, Spiritual Ahimsa. Partial Ahimsa and Complete Ahimas etc. A vow not to take the life of living beings possessing two or more senses is called Broad Ahimsa, while a vow not to cause injury to any living being is called Subtle Ahimsa. To conduct oneself in such a way as not to cause injury to any living being is called Physical Ahimsa, while to wish for the welfare of all living creatures is called Spiritual Ahimsa. Similarly to practise a part of the principle of Ahimsa is Partial Ahimsa and to practise it wholly is Complete Ahimsa.
Although it is necessary to practise complete Ahimsa in order to get liberation from Karmic bondage, yet all people are not competent to practise it. Therefore, the scriptures have laid down rules for its observance according to the ability of the observer. Those who cannot practise comp.
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