Essence of Jainism

Author(s): Sukhlal Sanghavi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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Essence of Jainism
tradition. Not only the world of human beings, animals and brids, insects and moths, but by the spirit of equality of the Self, even the world of subtlest of insects under the earth and in the waters are enveloped in this spirit and man is asked, to avoid, at all costs, violence to all these.
The emphasis placed on the perspective of equality in theory has given rise to the perspective of non-extremism or Anekāntavāda. 'This spirit of equality is violated if we insist under our belief that only our own perspective or thought-process is full and final truth. It is therefore stated that perspectives of others should also be equally respected. This perspective of equality is the basis of the theory of non-extremism. From this background there evolved, in due course, Syadvāda that is language-dominated and Nayavada that is thought-dominated. It would not be true to state that this perspective of non-extremism has no place in other traditions. The theory of non-extremism finds a place in the Samkhya and Nyaya systems. The Vibha jyavāda of Lord Buddha, his theory of the middle path also results from this perspective of non-extremism. However, the Jain tradition has laid maximum emphasis on non-violence and this perspective of non-extremism. In Jainism, there is no topic in thought and conduct which is not associated with the theory of non-extremism and which, as a result, remains outside its pale. That is the reason why scholars of other religious traditions, though believing in the theory, have not written independent works on it. Scholars of Jainism have, however, written so much of literature that enlightens us on the theory and its subsidiaries like Syādvāda, Nayavada etc.
Non-violence
Non-violence is just keeping away from violence. The matter would not be clearly and fully grasped till we have not grasped as to who becomes an object of violence, who commits acts of violence and for what reason. In order to answer these very questions, four principal disciplines have developed. They are (i) Ātmavidya, (ii) . Karmavidya, (iii) Caritravidya and (iv) Lokavidya. In a similar way the perspective of non-extremism has given rise to and nourished