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INTRODUCTION
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that in rendering service and help one should not hurt living beings (PS 249-250).
Commenting on it, Amrtachandra observes that the minds of the followers of Jina are purified by unalloyed kindness. Owing to anekant, their activity is directed towards pure knowledge and intuition of the self. Such people are not forbidden to undertake such an activity characterized by rendering of aid to others (paropakara). If, as a result of compassion, such persons acquire a small stain, it does not matter because the objective is the attainment of the pure self (PS 251 AC). Such activity, Jayasena remarks, is the cause of a small stain but results in a great deal of punya (savadyalesho bahu punyarashi) (PS 251 JS).
Rendering help to a person suffering from disease, hunger, thirst or exhaustion occupies a prominent place among the duties of a saint who is enjoined to render such assistance and service with all his power or to the best of his capability (PS 252). This assistance should be nirpekhsa (PS 251), i.e. without any interest, desire (ichchha), expectation, mental clinging (murchcha), sense of mineness (mamatva) and superiority or pride (ahamkara). Even with such activity or conduct of excellent attachment (prashasta raga), the shramans (saints) and householders attain the highest or the supreme (param) happiness (sokkham in Pk., saukhyam in Sk.) of [liberation, moksha] (PS 254).
Moha (infatuation) has three roles (bhumika) of false perception in regard to things, including the nature of the self (darshan moha type of delusion) and attachment (raga) and aversion (dvesha), which are conduct-deluding or charitra-moha. The means to destroy them are discussed in Pravachanasara 83-89. The subjects of compassion or kindness (anukampa or karuna), vaiyavrttya or upakaar (rendering service and help to others), service (vaiyyavrttya) are described in Pravachanasara 249-254. Cruelty or violence (the absence of kindness) towards animals or human beings cannot be justified under any circumstances. They cannot also be considered dharma in the sense of the inherent nature of the self (vastu svabhavo dharma)and the ten moral virtues (das dharma) of righteousness or piety. (dharma) of forgiveness, etc.
Amrtachandra's Comment on Compassion
In view of what has been stated above, it is paradoxical that an eminent scholar like Amrtachandra maintains that the feeling of
