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78
ETHICAL DOCTRINES IN JAINISM
commit them; and endorses such acts of others. Besides, Himsa which is unavoidably committed 1) by reason of one's own profession, 2) by the performance of domestic activities, and 3) by defending oneself, one's neighbour, one's country, one's belongings and the like from one's foes is denominated: 1) Udyami, 2) Ārambhī and 3) Virodhi
respectively.
AHIMSAṆUVRATA: Now the householder, being snared in the meshes of infirmities, is incapable of turning away completely from Himsa; hence he should keep himself away from the deliberate commission of Himsa of the two-sensed to five-sensed beings.1 The commitment of Himsă in being engaged in a certain profession, in performing domestic activities and in adopting defensive contrivances, cannot be counteracted by him. Thus he commits intentional injury to one-sensed Jivas, namely, the vegetable-bodied, the air-bodied, the firebodied etc.; and non-intentional injury in performing Arambha (domestic activities), Udyoga (profession) and Virodha (defence). He can therefore observe the gross form of Ahimsa which is known as Ahimsaṇuvrata. Even in the realm of one-sensed Jīvas and in the realm of non-intentional injury he should so manage to confine his operations as may affect the life and existence of a very limited number of Jīvas. In these two provinces the point to note is that of alleviating the amount of injury that is apt to be caused and not that of total relinquishment which is not possible without jeopardizing the survival of man. Nevertheless, Himsā, even in the realm of one-sensed Jīvas and in the realm of non-intentional injury, is unjustifiable. If we reflect a little, we shall find that man is subject to Himsă by the very condition of his existence. Yet instead of aggravating the natural weight of Himsa by falling foul upon one another and by our cruel treatment with the animal and vegetable kingdoms, we should endeavour to alleviate this general curse, to the extent to which we are capable of doing, by conforming ourselves to the sacred injunctions enjoined by Jaina spiritual teachers.
1 Puru. 75.; Caritra Pähuḍa. 24;
Ratna. Srava. 53; Kärtti. 332;
Sāgā. Dharma. IV. 7,;
Amita. Śrāva. VI. 4.
2 Puru. 77; Vasu. Śravą. 209. Yo. Sã. II. 21.
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