ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 03

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

Page 51

SCHOOL
TIONAL
OF
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भाध्याय परम
STUDIES
worldly ties and those who do not. This is the truth. So it is. Thus it is declared in this religion"
Tattvärtha Sūtra of Umāsvāti / Umāsvāmi, a treatise acceptable to both Svetambara and Digambara sects of Jainas, has also stressed the positive side of Ahimsa:
"One should cultivate the feelings of fraternity toward all beings, pleasantness toward the proficient, compassion toward the destitute and equanimity toward the disrespectful unbelievers".4
Virasena, the renowned Digambara ācārya, who lived about 1200 years ago, described compassion as the intrinsic nature of soul in his voluminous commentary of Satkhariḍāgama popularly known as Dhavala.
Kundakunda another great Digambara Acārya, who lived about 2000 years ago, and who is known more for stress on abstract spiritual path for the soul, enjoined that one should provide food to the hungry and water to the thirsty as it constituted Anukampa or Compassion.5 It may be noted that according to Tattvärtha Sutra, liberation of the soul is possible only through the composite path of Samyak Darśana (right belief). Samyak Jana (right knowledge) and Samyak Canitra (right conduct). Further Bhasya (commentary) on Tattvärtha Sūtra enumerates five characteristics of Samyak Darśana of which the prominent one is Anukampa or Compassion. In short, according to canons, liberation of soul is not possible in the absence of compassion. A human quality like compassion, which according to Tattvärtha Sūtra and its commentary helps the process of liberation, obviously cannot be the cause of bondage.
Acārya Kundakunda in his book - Bodha Pahuḍa stated that only that is Dharma, which is leavened with compassion.
There are even more positive and emphatic directions in the original canons of Śvetāmbara Jainas which promote humanism and compassionate action, which are synonyms of Ahimsa. For example Sthānanga Sutra-(chapter eight) ordains the following:
3 Ayaro 4.1.1,, Jaina Vishva Bharati, Ladnun, V.S. 2031
4 Tattvärtha Sutra7/6
5 Pañcastikāya, Kundakunda, 137.
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STUDY NOTES version 5.0