ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 01

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 86

the denial of change, but includes it as its necessary aspect. The notion of Paryāya is the contribution of Mahāvīra to metaphysical thinking.
2. Socio-Ethical Method: Effective social changes were made by Mahāvīra through the promulgation of the socioethical values of Ahimsā, Aparigraha and Anekānta these three are the consequences of Mahāvīra's devotedness to the cause of social reconstruction.
(a) Ahimsā In an unprecedented way Mahāvīra clarified Ahimsā. In Ācārānga he says, "none of the living beings ought to be killed or deprived of life, ought to be ordered or ruled, ought to be enslaved or possessed, ought to be distressed or afflicted and ought to be put to unrest or disquiet.5 The sociopolitical organisations and the capitalistic set up can easily derive inspiration from this ethico-social statement. Thus the Āyāro (Ācārānga) conclusively pronounces that after understanding the importance of kindness to beings, the enlightened person should preach, disseminate and applaud it at all places in East-West and NorthSouth directions. The Praśnavyākaraṇa-sūtra designates Social Ahimsā as kindness (dayā), security (raksā), salutariness (kallāņa), fearlessness (abhaya), non-killer (amādha), and so on.?
The Acārānga gives us certain arguments to renounce himsā.
(1) Socio-political argument against himsā: The Ācārānga condemns himsā by saying that its operation is without any stop, cessation and discontinuance and it goes on increasing to the extent possible with the political consequence that the race of armaments becomes un-arrestable and continues to grow without any check. In contradistinction to this it eulogizes Ahimsā by saying that its observance is total and not piecemeal, with the result that the armament race discontinues and comes to a stop.8
5 Savve jīvā, savve bhūya, savvepānā na hamtavvā, na ajjāvetavva, na parighettavvā, na paritāveyavvā, na uddveyavvā, Ācārānga Sutra, 1/4/2 (Agama Prakashana Samiti, Beawer) 6 Dayam logassa jāņitta painam padinam, dāhinam udinam āikkhe vihae kitte vedavi, Ācāranga Sūtra 1.4.52, (Agama Prakashana Samiti, Beawer) 7 Praśnavyākarana Sūtra, 6.1.3, Pages 683-684, (Jaina Vishva Bharati, Ladnun, under the title "Argasuttan" (3) 8 Atthi sattham parena param, natthi asattham parena param/ Ācārānga Sūtra, 129, (Agama Prakashana Samiti, Beawer)
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