Introduction to Jaina Sadhna

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 86

Relevance of Jaina Sãdhanā : 79
speak thus, declare thus, explain thus : all breathing, existing, living and sentient creatures should not be slain, nor treated with violence, nor abused, nor tormented. This is the pure, eternal and unchangeable law or the tenet of religion ( Ācārānga, 2/4/ 127). In other words, non-violence is the eternal and pure form of religion. In Jainism non-violence is the pivot on which its whole ethics revolves. For Jainas violence represents all the vices and non-violence represents all the virtues. Non-violence is not a single virtue but it is a group of virtues. In Praşnavyākarana-sūtra (2/1/21) the term non-violence is equated with sixty virtuous qualities, just as peace, harmony, welfare, trust and fearlessness, etc. Thus non-violence is a wider term, which comprehends all the good qualities and virtues.
The concept of non-violence and the regard for life is accepted by almost all the religions of the world. But none of the religions observe it so miniutely as Jainism, Jainism prohibits not only killing of human beings and animals but of the vegetable kingdom also. To hurt the plants is also an act of violence or hissā. It's basic principle is that the life, in whatever form it may be, should be respected, we have no right to take another's life, because every one wants to live as we want. The Dasavaikālika mentions that every one wants to live and not to die, for this simple reason, Nigganthas prohibit violence ( Dasavāikalika-sūtra, 6/10).
It can be said that the Jaina concept of non-violence is extremist and not practical, but we cannot challenge its relevance for human society. Though Jainism sets its goal as the ideal of total non-violence, external as well as internal, yet the realisation of this ideal in the practical life is by no means easy. Non-violence is a spiritual ideal, which is fully realisable only in the spiritual plane. The real life of an individual is a physio-spiritual complex; at this level complete non-violence is not pos