Book Title: ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 01
Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies
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________________
SCHOOL
TIONAL
OF
SELF STUDY IS THE SUPREME AUSTERITY
स्वाध्याय परम तप
TAN STUDIES
•
The above verse in essence sums up his philosophy of life. Dharma is the essence of life and those who are constantly absorbed in it are even worshipped by gods. Jain literature describes dharma as the nature of a being (vastu svabhāva). We shall discuss these three most constituents of dharma each briefly here.
a. Non-violence / Ahimsā.
Jainism is often described as the religion of non-violence. All its ethics, philosophy and way of life are based on being non-violent. 'Ahimsa paramo dharmaḥ sums it all and this aphorism is generally associated with Jain religion and translated as 'Live and let live'the concept of Jain non-violence.
He defined himsā as giving pain (to one's own self or others) or asking others to do so or admiring those who do so (by mind or speech or body singly or by all of them). Absence of himsa is Ahimsă.
Mahāvīra says,' All the worthy men of the past, the present and the future say thus, speak thus, declare thus, explain thus, that all breathing, existing, living and sentient creatures should not be slain, nor treated with violence or abused nor tormented' We can see that most of the issues related to terrorism, ecology, slavery etc could be solved to a large extent if we understand and implement this concept of Ahimsa. Thus this definition of Ahimsa and of living beings earlier, Mahāvīra's doctrine becomes universal in nature i.e. of beneficence to all.
Acārya Amṛtacandra Suri9 analyzes and explains the entire gamut of Jain ethics as derivatives of non-violence. The example of the person who wants to throw fire on others to burn them has to first burn his hand. Besides, he makes an enemy in the other persons who wish to take revenge all the time. For food, the concept of Ahimsa (extreme type of vegetarianism for monks) is explained beautifully in the following verse like the bumblebee,
6 Dhammo vatthu sahāvo khamadibhāvo ya dasaviho dhammo
Rayattayam ca dhammo jivānam rakhaṇaṁ dhammo | Kartikeyanuprekṣā by Acārya Svāmī Kārtikeya. Verse
478
7 Mahābārata Ādiparva-11/13
8 Acaränga 1.1.2
9 Puruṣārthasidhyupāyā, Verse 42-57
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STUDY NOTES version 5.0
