ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 03

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

Page 153

Thus, in the wider society, the sense of l' and 'mine' coupled together with passions like pride etc. that indicate violence hold together family; lead to economic life as well. The human society which is driven by the conflicts and violence will be saved by the force and authority of the state. Orderly and peaceful human society would necessarily require the use of supreme force of sovereign power in society. The canons attribute the origin of punishment and coercion to the simultaneous growth of greed in men and niggardliness in nature. The close relation between the origin of coercive power in society and the fallen nature of man, according to Jainism, is not temporal but transcendent, and the state along with other institutions is a support to the life of virtue which leads man to rise from the fallen nature.
Violence continues in civil society, and even assumes greater proportions by becoming organized. The very institutions of family and property, which seek the protection of the state, themselves flourish on violence. Thus, within the imperfect conditions of human life, even though state is indirectly good, it is at the same time necessarily evil on account of its coercive nature.
The above discussion makes it clear that political power in its various forms was recognized as one among several preconditions of moral and religious life. Following from this, it was further recognized that obedience is rightfully due to political authority where relevant.
It is important to note one point. It is true that kings and officers at that time tended to follow a system of cruel punishments and we must remember that despite modern penal reforms there is still no limit to the ferocity of the state when it feels itself threatened or is moved by an inhumane ideology. Nevertheless, the attitude in early Jaina canon deprecates such cruelty in the penal system, and tends to place the policemen and executioners as parallel to the robbers and murderers.
Thus, according to the canon although kings are required for the practice of dharma, their own practice is tainted by dharma. The Jainas did seek to advise the rulers and hoped that enlightened rulers would help to the cause of dharma.
Thus, the king should follow the right faith and do his duty without regarding himself as a morally privileged person. The people should follow the example of the king. The laws of the
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