Concept of Pancasila in Indian Thaought

Author(s): Kamla Jain
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

Page 87

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The Concept of Paācasila in Indian Thought
starving or not feeding at proper times are the five offences appertaining to the vow of ahimsāņuvrata.")
As has been already said, these offences are worth knowing but not worth practising, so the layman who wishes to observe ahiņsāņuvrata should avoid them; if at certain times he could not avoid them, he should acknowledge them and say a word of repentance called "micchāmi dukkaram" (I am giving up this false self). This atonement is just of the second type of atonement, out of the ten, which includes in itself some other categories of prāyaścittas as kāyotsarga, or temporary renunciation of the body etc. This indicates that according to Jaina canons a householder should always remain alert for the development of right conduct and should not be negligent,
The vow of the laity therefore does have the qualities of a practicable principle and in this sense it is neither too rigid nor too lenient. What in fact matters is the carefulness and alertness on the part of the householder in doing any act in his daily life. It does not mean a narrow attitude to life in general; for example, war is usually considered a prominent example of violence, and also it is correct to some extent, but even in that, the Jaina texts point out that what matters really is the cause of fighting. The Jaina Purāņas are full of the examples of wars, and they proclaim that many good householders who accepted the aņuvratas participated in these wars, but they all fought for the right cause.2 Whether the living being survives or dies is not much significant, it is his activity with carefulness and right attitude which matters.
1. CF77 EFAT HTTiTqui qatartr:,
3TTETCATCUT ifh T Tarçolà i Ratnak. Śrā. 54. सम्यग्दर्शन-सम्पन्नः शूरः कश्चिदणुव्रती, पृष्ठतो वीक्ष्यते पत्न्या पुरस्त्रिदशकन्यया ।
Purāṇasārasamgraha--Damanandi. 3. मरद व जियदु व जीवो अयदाचारस्से णिच्छिदाहिंसा
TUTET AFST FETT FEAT ÀÄut afHate ! --Pravacanasāra.