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Dr. Charlotte Krause : Her Life & Literature
it is perhaps, against all probability, true that some ill-informed fanatic did such a thing, then he would have acted in straight opposition to the tenets of Jainism : for to make a being so highly developed as a human soul, suffer in such a degrading way, in the name of the humanist of all religions, would clearly fall under the
heading of Himsa, of worst and meanest injury, and would, besides, mean a downright insult to Religion in general.
Resuming, one can say that the social conduct prescribed by Jainism is characterized by the four attitudes 'Maitri', 'Pramoda', 'Karunya' and 'Madhyasthya', which have been grouped together in the following stanzas :
मा कार्षीत् कोऽपि पापानि मा च भूत् कोऽपि दुःखितः । मुच्यतां जगदप्येषा मतिमैत्री निगद्यते ॥ अपास्ताशेषदोषाणां
वस्तुतत्त्वावलोकिनाम् । गुणेषु पक्षपातो यः स प्रमोदः प्रकीर्तितः ।। दीनेष्वार्तेषु भीतेषु याचमानेषु जीवितम् । प्रतीकारपरा
बुद्धिः कारुण्यमभिधीयते ।। क्रूरकर्मसु निःशङ्कं देवतागुरुनिन्दिषु । आत्मशंसिषु योपेक्षा तन्माध्यस्थ्यमुदीरितम् ।।
"By Maitri, i.e., amity, that mentality is meant which makes one wish that no creature should commit evil actions, that no creature should be suffering, and that the whole universe may find Salvation."
“Pramoda, i.e., joy, designates the fullest appreciation of, and admiration for, the virtues of those who have shaken off all six, and who can see through the essence of all things.
"Kārunya, i.e., compassion, is that trend of mind which makes one wish to help all creatures in need, all that are afflicted, and all that beg for their lives."
"Mādhyasthya, i.e., impartiality, is that indifference, or rather leniency one should always bear towards those who commit cruel actions, those who openly blaspheme the Divine, or the spiritual teacher, and those who are filled with arrogance."
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