Environmental Doctrines of Jainism

Author(s): S M Jain
Publisher: S M Jain

Page 25

DOCTRINE OF NON-STEALING
*316H ||7/15 T
- Tatvarth Sutra "Stealing is taking things without consent." T HIS IS SIGUIETT 114/2/4||"
- Sutrakritanga "One who takes anything of anyone without consent is thief."
The Doctrine of Non-Stealing forbids theft or stealing. Stealing is exploitation or usurping by force or unfair means other's things, habitats and possessions. This is also violence. The vow of non-stealing also reinforces the vow of non-violence. Non-stealing should not be limited between human beings only. It does apply in respect of other living beings also. One should not take, snatch or usurp possessions and conveniences of any other life forms. Natural resources soil, water, air, plants are also living beings and their exploitation beyond their carrying capacities is therefore also stealing. These natural resources also give out their products willingly. The tree drops fruits of its own for human beings and other animals. All relationships in nature are symbiotic i.e. for mutual benefit. Humans and animals by eating fruits get nutrition and simultaneously help the trees by dispersing the seeds far and wide. Several useful minerals are obtained from volcanoes. Air
circulations and water circulations are natural and help all life forms. Soils of their own produce numerous plants and their products to meet all necessities of living beings including humans. Plants give away their various products leaves, flowers, fruits, bark, gums, resins, shellac, medicines and others voluntarily for use of humans and others. Plants also die natural death after completing their life-span and then their dead wood can be used for house building and other purposes. The Kalpavriksha (Forest) based life-style during happiest (SukhmaSukhma) era is an excellent example.
Non-stealing implies taking from natural resources also only that is provided by them naturally. Jainism ordains no harm to any. The intensity of good and bad attitudes denoted by special term 'Leshya' has been explained very comprehensively by example of taking fruits of trees. These attitudes or modes are equated with colours white (shukla). crimson (padma), yellow (peet), light grey (Kapot), blue (Neel), Black (Krishna). The person who picks up naturally dropped fruits has best unblemished attitude like pure white colour (Shukla Leshya). Other who plucks only ripe fruits from branches is slightly tarnished and possess like lightly coloured crimson attitude (Padma Leshya). The third cuts away small branches to have all its fruits ripe and unripe and he is on lower scale of attitude than second and is compared with yellow coloured attitudes (Peet Leshya). Fourth person cuts bigger branch and is still lower with attitude like light grey colour (Kapot Leshya). Fifth person cuts biggest main branch is very bad with dark blue coloured attitude (Neel Leshya). Sixth person cuts away the whole tree and takes fruits only in limited quantity but deprives others totally presently and in future by destroying the very source of fruits. He is worst and is compared with dark attitude (Krishna Leshya).
Such an ideal sensitivity while taking products of others, qualifying the attitude from worst to best and instruction to adopt good and best and not bad and worse is very relevant in following the vow of nonstealing. There are very detailed instructions to avoid transgressions and failings. Some important ones are quoted below. What is important
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ENVIRONMENTAL DICTRINES OF JANISM
DOCTRINE OF NON-STEALING
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