Indian Culture and Jainism

Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Jain Vidya Samsthan

Page 13

10. Accepting Sallekhānā as the spiritual welcome to death without
any fear and perturbation. 1. Classification of Jīvas (empirical selves) as the basis of socio-spiritual
principle of Ahiṁsā and the dissemination of the doctrine of Aparigraha
The doctrine of Ahiṁsā is the be-all and end-all of the Jinist way of life and living. The oldest Jaina Agama Ayāro remarkably pronounces that none of the living beings ought to be killed, ought to be ruled, ought to be enslaved or possessed, ought to be distressed and ought to be put to disquiet. (Hoa TUTUT Hall, ut 316ildcat, ut affroat, ut ufarctical, UT 3Educat)15 The socio-political 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 North-South directions. (दयं लोगस्स जाणित्ता पाईणं, पडीणं, दाहिणं उदीणं आइक्खे विभए किट्टे agat)16 The Praśnavyākarana Sūtra designates social Ahimsā as kindness, (दया) security (रक्षा) salutariness (कल्लाण) fearlessness (अभय) and so
on.17
The Ācārānga gives us certain arguments to renounce Himsā. (i) Socio-political argument against Hiṁsā : The Ācārānga condemns
Hiṁsā 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 unarrestable and continues to grow without any check. In contradistinction to this it eulogizes Ahiṁsā by saying that its observance is total and not piece-meal, with the result that the armament race discontinues and comes to a stop. ( 31fer frei uur
ui, ufrer gripei utot ui )18 (ii) Psychological Argument against Hiṁsā: After comprehending and
beholding the significance of peacefulness of beings, one should renounce Hiṁsā, inasmuch as Himsā causes suffering to beings and human suffering caused by theft, hoarding, falsehood, slavery, economic exploitation, social oppression, curtailment of legitimate freedoms and the like is a great mental disturbance, is dreadful and
Indian Culture and Jainism