Bondage and Freedom

Author(s): Chitrabhanu
Publisher: Divine Knowledge Society

Page 83

meaning, from an act of simple kindness to a comprehensive outlook of universal fraternity. .
A great Jain scholar of the roth century., Acharya Hemachandra, said in the Yogashastra:
आत्मवत् सर्वभूतेषु सुखदुःखे प्रियाप्रिये ।
चिंतयन्नात्मनोऽनिष्टां हिंसामन्यस्य नाचरेत् ॥ "In happiness or suffering, in joy or grief, we should regard all creatures as we regard our own self. We should, therefore, refrain from inflicting upon others such injury as would appear undesirable to us, if inflicted upon ourselves."
Ahimsa, i.e. Nonviolence in Jainism is not only physical nonviolence but it is nonviolence also. of speech and thought.
One can harm others by harsh speech or even by uncharitable thoughts and therefore this is also violence and has to be abjured.
The practice of nonviolence does not merely stop at the devotee's himself following the principles of nonviolence but it goes further in as much as, ro violence shall be commissioned or consented to, by an honest devotee of nonviolence.
Having explained the principle of nonviolence we now turn to Anekantwad, i.e. Theory of Relativity.
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