ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 03

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

Page 80

The advent of technology has enhanced significantly the impact and method of committing violence. We see its impact in the deaths of Nehru (sickness), Sanjay Gandhi in plane crash, Indira Gandhi was murdered in her own protected home and Rajiv Gandhi was murdered by suicide attackers. India (claim to be peaceful nation) spends enormous amount to protect its leaders and suffer losses due to terrorism and violence alone. In our present day world also, we can see that use of force to win a war or eliminate discord or differences in religiouspolitical ideologies results in escalation of violence causing more miseries than reducing them (Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Indo-Pak troubles etc.). Some facts about violence are given
below:
I. Violence affects the doer more than the victim. So even for our own selfish gains we
must observe non-violence.
II. Ecology: Killing the five types of living beings i.e. those with air or water or fire or earth or
plant as their bodies, is called environment pollution. Even killing animals and other living beings cause natural / ecological imbalances.
III. Social ills: Girl child killing in the womb, use of cosmetics and leather products from
unborn and newly born animals, foods causing thousands of living beings getting killed for just one meal, class system dividing the society in low caste, middle casts or high castes etc on the basis of birth, race or colour are different ways of committing violence. Growing intolerance, selfishness are some of the social ills caused by enhanced violence
We thus see that violence affects individuals /societies / countries and the whole humanity resulting in total destruction. Violence has assumed ghastly dimensions with the advent of technology necessitating the adoption of a Non-violent/ non-killing society.
1.4
Causes of violent (Hissaka) activities
All living beings are equal (Samatā). Every living beings wishes to be happy forever i.e. nobody wants pain. Pain is caused when one forgets this basic precept and starts moving the other way. In Jainism it is called perverted view (mithyātva) and is the primary cause of karmic bondage. In Sūtrakrtānga 17 Mahāvīra says bondage is pain. Tattvārtha-sūtral8 talks of the following five primary causes of bondage /pain/ hiṁsā.
17 Sūtrakitanga-sūtra, 'Bujhijja tiuttejā bandhanaṁ parijāniyā... Sūtra 1/1/1, meaning one should know what causes bondage of soul and knowing it one should remove it.
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