ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 352

5.4
r vak c ra (Ethics of the Householder) Dr. Kamal Chand Sogani
1.0 Ahi s as the Foundation of Jaina Ethics
Ethical discipline constitutes an important aspect of Jainism. The foundation of the ethical discipline is the doctrine of Ahi s [2] The laying down of the commandment not to kill and not to damage is one of the greatest events in the spiritual history of mankind. [3] This is for the first time clearly expressed in Jainism.
VERSAC
1.1 Classification of Living Being from One-Sensed to Five-Sensed Beings
The Jaina gama classifies living beings (J vas) into five kinds, namely, one-sensed to five-sensed beings.[5] The minimum number of Pr as possessed by the empirical self is four (one sense, one Bala, life-limit and breathing), and the maximum number is ten (five senses, three Balas, life-limit, and breathing). The lowest in the grade of existence are the one-sensed J vas, which possess only the sense of touch and they have only the Bala of body, and besides they hold life-limit and breathing. These one-sensed Jvas admit of five-fold classification, namely, the earth-bodied (P thv k yika), water-bodied (Jalak yika), fire-bodied (Agnik yika) air-bodied (V yuk yika) and lastly, vegetable-bodied (Vanaspatik yika) souls.
(Householder and Muni)
1.2 Progressive realization of Ahi s The entire Jaina ethics tends towards the translation of the principle of Ahi s into practice. The Jaina regards as the ethical Summum Bonum of human life, the realisation of perfect Ahi s. In fact Ahi s is so central in Jainism that it may be incontrovertibly called the beginning and the end of Jaina religion. The statement of Samantabhadra that Ahi s of all living beings is equivalent to the realisation of Parama B hma sheds light on the paramount character of Ahi s. Now, this idea of Ahis is realised progressively. Thus he who is able to realise Ahi s partially is called a householder, whereas he who is able to realise Ahi s completely, though not perfectly is called an ascetic or a Muni. It belies the allegation that the ascetic flees from the world of action. Truly speaking, he recoils not from the world of action but from the world of His No doubt the ascetic life affords full ground for the realization of Ahis, but its perfect realization is possible only in the plenitude of mystical experience, which is the Arhat state.
Thus the householder and the ascetic are the two wheels on which the cart of Jaina ethical discipline moves on quite smoothly. It is to the credit of Jaina c ryas that they have always kept in mind these two orders while prescribing any discipline to be observed. They were never in favour of confounding the obligations of the one with the other. In consequence, Jainism could develop the c ra of the householder with as much clarity as it developed the c ra of the Muni. Being overwhelmed by the ascetic tendency, it has not neglected the c ra of the householder. By developing the doctrine of A vratas, G avratas and ik vratas for the householder it has shown the way in which the householder should direct his course of life. I feel that the doctrine of A vratas, G avratas and ik vratas is the unique contribution of Jainism to Indian ethics.
2.1 Nature of Ethico-Spiritual Conduc
Let us now proceed to deal with the nature of ethico-spiritual conduct, which transforms the potential excellences of the self into actuality. With the light of value knowledge, which enables the aspirant to look into his infirmities, the pursuit of ethico-spiritual conduct sweeps away the elements, which thwart the manifestation of uninterrupted happiness and infinite knowledge. Value knowledge illumines the path and ethico-spiritual conduct leads to the goal. In addition to spiritual awakening and value- knowledge emancipation presupposes ethico-spiritual conduct as well. Really speaking, ethico-spiritual conduct emanates from the internal necessity, which the spiritually awakened has developed in him. Thereby he then expunges the disharmony existent between his present and future conditions, and between his potential conviction and actual living.
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So important is the pursuit of ethico-spiritual conduct for realising the transcendental nature of self that Kundakunda calls it Dharma.[8] Such conduct as will conduce to the emergence of a state of self which is devoid of infatuation (Moha) and perturbation (K obha) by virtue of the subversion of all
STUDY NOTES version 4.0