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Everyone is fully aware of the meaning of destruction of the dravya prāṇas in the sense of killing or getting killed. But the concept that a being has prāņas (life forces) other than these visible prāṇas is unique to Jainism. These inner prāņas are the attributes of soul. Attachment-aversion, passions and other vices harm these attributes of soul. Driven by passions when a being thinks of destroying prāṇas of some other being or the self (suicide) he brings harm to the mentalprāņas like inner peace and tranquility. This basically is himsā (violence). After this when he destroys the dravya or bhāva prāṇas of other being or the self, that too is violence. This means that in first place mental violence is committed the moment one has violent thoughts like attachment and aversion. The destruction of the physical prānas of another being or the self may and may not follow.
Not to indulge in harming the mental and physical prāṇas of another being or the self under the influence of stupor is called ahimsā.
DRAVYA AND BHĀVA HIMSĀ
From aforesaid details we arrive at the conclusion that destruction of physical or mental prāṇas of the self or the other gives us four alternative forms of himsā: (1) Mental harm to the self (sva bhāva himsā). (2) Physical harm to the self (sva dravya himsā). (3) Mental harm to the other' (para bhāva hiṁsā). (4) Physical harm to the other' (para dravya himsā).
Under the force of circumstances or in an agitated state of mind, when a person is on the verge of committing suicide he experiences extreme stress and mental turmoil and this destroys his inner peace and contentment as well as the joy and purity of his soul. This is mental harm to the self (sva bhāva himsā).
If a person commits suicide using some weapon, ingesting poison, falling from a high place, jumping before an oncoming train, hanging him-self, sprinkling petrol over oneself and igniting it, or by any other means it is called physical harm to the self (sva dravya hirsā). It is possible that he may fail in his attempt but in spite of not dying he has committed suicide because his bhāva prāņa in the form of happiness and peace have certainly been destroyed for that period due to passions.
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