Central Philosophy of Jainism Anekanta Vada

Author(s): Bimal Krishna Matilal, Nagin J Shah, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 14

Introduction
"What do you think, Jivaka ? Does the monk at that time think of injuries to himself, to others, or to both ? "
“Certainly not, o honorable one."
“Does not a monk at that time take blameless food ?" "Even so, O honorable one." 13
On another occasion, the Buddha took a similar position. When Devadatta wanted to introduce stricter discipline into the Order, he was willing to prohibit altogether meat-eating and fish-eating among the monks. But the Buddha declined and said that acceptance of meat or fish from the householder was blameless under certain conditions.
Thus we see that the Buddha prescribed the Madhyamā pratipat, the Middle Way, both in philosophy and practical behaviour. Just as his philosophic view was one of avoiding of the evils of the extremes, in practical behaviour (ācāra) too, he preferred a middle course. Thus, severe self-mortification in which the ascetics of those days used to indulge, was for the Buddha, another name for violence, i.e., violence done to one's own self.
Mahāvira, on the other hand, was a man of very strict principles. He was never soft on the ācāra, on austerities, asceticism, and abstentions. He did not regard self-mortification as violence done to the self. Relaxation in the principles of self-control was, for Mahāvira, another name for sustaining defeat in the hand of our internal adversaries (such as passion and greed). On the notion of non-violence, however, Mahävira added a new dimension of meaning, as we shall see presently.
The Jaina canonical texts emphasize that one should try to think of all the living creatures as equal to one's own self and therefore should not try to harm anybody with the intention of harming. Thus, the Acărānga notes as follows :
"All beings are fond of life, they like pleasure, hate pain, avoid decay, wish to live long. To all, life is dear...All breathing, existing, living, sentient creatures should not be slain, nor treated with violence, nor abused, nor tormented, nor driven away. This is the pure, unchangeable, external law, which the clever ones, who understand the world, have declared."14
This should not mean, as it is sometimes misinterpreted, that the killing of any kind is sinful. Rather the doctrine of non-violence dictates that we should live in this world in such a way that we do not have