Hajarimalmuni Smruti Granth

Author(s): Shobhachad Bharilla
Publisher: Hajarimalmuni Smruti Granth Prakashan Samiti Byavar

Page 1041

H. Bhattacharyya
M.A., B.L., Ph.D., Karlas Basu Lane, Ram Krishnapura, Howrah THE VRATA'S OTHER THAN AHIMSA-AS PROPOUNDED
IN JAINISM
Ahimsā or non-violence is the fundamental Vrata, according to the Jainas. The next Vrata which is essential to a moral life is the vow of truthfulness or Satya. Its opposite i.e., speaking falsely is the Ansta, which is defined as telling something which is not factual. It should be noted that the Pramatta-yoga or wicked intention, which lies at the root of violence and which gives it the character of violence, forms the basis of Ansta or lying also. Nothing is a falsehood unless it is a deliberate lie and nothing is true, if an improper motive prompts its utterance. It is accordingly said that even if a statement is true but made with the deliberate intention of hurting the hearer's feeling, the statement is deprived of its character of truth. On the contrary, a false statement made for the purpose of doing some good to the hearer, cannot be condemned as a downright lie. The character of a phenomena is determined with reference to its nature (Dravya), time (Kāla), place (Ksitra) and modality (Bhāva). A particular cup, for instance, exists only as a thing made of (say) silver, during (say) winter, at a particular place (say) Calcutta and as (say) a round article; and you cannot think of it as constituted of 'an absolute substance', persisting through all 'eternity', existing simultaneously at 'all places' and possessed of 'a universal shape'. A true statement presents a thing or phenomenon, as it is in respect of its own 'nature', 'time', 'place', and 'modality'. So, when a thing actually exists with reference to its own particular nature, modification, time and location and one says that it does not exist,this is one form of lying; to say that a thing exists, whereas as a matter of fact it does not exist, is the second manner of lying; to speak about a thing as something which is really different from it, is the third kind of falsehood; the fourth form of lying includes the three following manners of stating a fact, viz.,-(1) The Garthita or the condemnable. A true statement may be so made with scornful laughter as to give pain to the hearer; it may be clothed in harsh and angry words; its tone may be incivil and its words, unconnected with each other; it may be so delievered as to give rise to mistaken ideas in the hearer; the words used may be ambiguous or meaningless or they may suggest something which contradicts the eternal verieties as disclosed by the competent masters. All such statements, though embodying true facts, are nevertheless Garhita or condemned. (2) The Sävadya or faulty. Statements, e.g. about cutting the limbs of an animal, about piercing it, about beating it, about tilling lands, about trading (especially, trafficking in living animals), about stealing etc. etc.,--all bad to or are connected with injury to animals. Such statements may not contain any falsehoods, they may even be connected with truths but are nevertheless faulty and as such, are to be avoided. (3) The Apriya or pain-giving. Words which create unpleasant feelings, envy and grief and exhaust one's patience, which give rise to fear, feelings of enmity, sorrow and quarrelsome-ness, are akin to falsehood, even though they may contain a truth in them. In connection with the
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