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Metaphysical: The coverage of Non-violence is so vast that it does not refer only to our external activities (like hurting or killing by physical means only) but it refers more strongly to the internal activities of mind, both physical and psychic. Ācārya Amrtacandra4 (8th century AD) thus defined Non-violence as:
With the soul tainted with passion, the activities of mind /body /speech which cause killing/ pain/ tormenting to the psychic or matter life-vitalities (prāṇas) of an individual (self or any other living being) result in violence.
Thus all violence is caused by the rise of the feelings of attachment (rāga). He says 'when the soul manifests in the state of attachment laversion; at that point, such manifestation becomes the efficient cause for all matter particles to become karmas and get bonded with the soul.' So annihilating /controlling the feeling of attachment are in fact non-violence.6 Therefore Mahāvīra had equated violence to sin as it causes bondage of soul with matter karmas.
Thus violence first affects the person who commits violence even i.e. bonding of karmas the root cause of pain and transmigration) though the individual on whom the violence is being committed may or may not be affected. This is so as the first place of occurrence of violence is the mind where the violent person starts planning and even performing violent acts. Such a person may or not even commit physical violence due to so many external reasons (like power /status or the person / being or to be tortured / killed).
The four vitalities with which a living being was alive in the past, is alive now and will be alive in future are called prāṇas. These are energy (mind, body, speech); sense organs (touch/body, taste, smell, hear and eyes), breathe and lifespan (Āyü)?. Thus not giving due
4 Yatkhalukasāyayogātprānānām dravyabhavarupāņām/
vyaparopanasya kanama suniścicita sa hiṁsā ll Puruşārthasidhyupāyā ,verse 43 5 Jvakstam parināmaṁ nimittamātra prapadhya punaranye svayameva parinamante-tra pudgalāḥ karmabhāveṁ Il Puruşārthasidhyupāyā, verse 12 6 Aprādubhāvah khalu rāgādinām bhatyahimseti/ tesāmevotpattihisseti jināgamasya samksepall Puruşārthasidhyupāyā, Verse 44 7 Pānehim caduhim jīvadi jīvassadi jo hu jivido puvvam so jivo pänä puna balmimdiyamau ussasol Pamcastikaya by Kundakunda, Verse 30
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