Introduction to Jainism

Author(s): Rudi Jansma, Sneh Rani Jain
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

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INTRODUCTION TO JAINISM
inflow of karmas (karma-samarāmbhas) are worth knowing and abandoning” (Achārānga 1.1.5).
"About this the Bhagavan has prescribed (preached or propagated) parijñāna (awareness or knowledge):
(People indulge in violence mainly due to the following reasons:)
In order to protect his life (everyone loves life, therefore he makes use of wealth, medicine, and other things).
In order to gain praise and fame (he makes efforts to win competitions like wrestling).
In order to gain status and prestige (he accumulates wealth and power).
In order to gain respect and veneration (he participates in war and other such violent contests).
Birth (he indulges in festivities to celebrate the day of his child's or own birth).
Death (he indulges in various rites and rituals connected with death).
Inspired by the desire of liberation (he indulges in religious rituals like animal sacrifice).
In order to be free of sorrows (he indulges in various violent experiments to vanquish ailments, terror, and torments)” (Āchārānga 1.1.7).
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The target of the said activities is the world of the living. In the Jain view this includes a large part of what westerners know as matter. Jains have defined matter as ajīva (non-living). [As will be discussed in chapter 6, the detailed definition of the taxonomy of living organisms is a vast discipline in itself.] For the theme under consideration it would suffice to understand that beyond the visible gross world there exists a minute and subtle world that influences us and is influenced by us. Therefore, every action that harms