Indian Culture and Jainism

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

Page 15

evolved consciousness. As for example, two-sensed Jīvas are more evolved than the one-sensed beings, five sensed beings are more evolved than the one, two, three and four-sensed beings. Thus Ahimsā will be directly proportionate to the Ahimsā of the beings (Jīvas) classified.
Spiritual Perspective of Ahiṁsā : We have dwelt upon Ahimsā as a social value. This view regards Ahiṁsā as 'other' oriented and is concerned with the progress and development of the 'other'. The Purusārthasiddhupāya moves in a different direction when it unambigously expresses that non-emergence of attachment, aversion etc. on the surface of self is Ahiṁsā ( 349g ufa: U TUGTi haruft afat).23 This pronouncement has a deep inward reference and regards Ahir a spiritual value. This method of dealing with Ahimsā obliges us to peep into one's own inner life, so that attachment and aversion along with their ramifications like anger, pride, deceit and greed are completely got rid of. The Praśnavyākarana Sūtra designates Ahimsā as Nirvāna (निव्वाण), Samadhi (समाही) Supreme tranquillity. (संती), happiness (पमोअ), super satisfaction (farit) and purity (Ufall) and so on24. In other words, we may say that even the slightest fall from complete self-realisation is to be regarded as Himsā. Thus Himsă commences with the appearance of passions on the ground of self.
The Acārnga gives us spiritual argument to renounce Hiṁsā.
Spiritual Argument against Himsā : Since all the selves are transcendentally alike, killing the other is killing one's own self, ruling the other is ruling one's own self, enslaving the other is enslaving one's own self, distressing the other is distressing one's own self, and disquieting the other is disquieting one's own self. By reason of this Himsā of all the living beings has been abandoned by those desirous of self-realisation ( qe fa una eta i inloci fa huulfa, TH FH una pista Ji अज्जावेतव्वं ति मण्णसि, तुमं सि णाम तं चेव जं परितावेतव्वं ति मण्णसि, तुमं सि णाम तं चंव जं परिघेतव्वं ति मण्णसि, एवं तं चेव जं उद्दवेतव्वं ति मण्णसि।).25
Dissemination of the doctrine of Aparigraha 26 : Mahāvīra was well aware of the fact that economic inequality and the hoarding of essential commodities very much disturb social life and living. These acts lead to the exploitation and enslavement of man. Owing to this, life in society is endangered. Consequently, Mahāvīra pronounced that the remedy for
Indian Culture and Jainism