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called dharma (religion or piety). The behaviour that causes misery is called pāpa (sin).
As other beings desire happiness and life, I too desire happiness and life. I do not like that some one behaves with me in a way that causes pain to me or deprives me of my life. As I love my life other beings also love their life. As I desire happiness other beings too desire happiness. Therefore, it is my duty to behave with other beings as I expect others to behave with me. Indeed, my relationship with other beings should be based on mutual respect for the normal natural feelings and desires of all beings.
All souls in all beings are similar; the desires and ambitions of all beings are similar. All religions equally accept the rights of life and happiness of the other beings. But in reality we do not do so. We do not respect the natural desire for happiness in others and others reject our spontaneous wish for happiness. Over behaviour hurts others and that of others becomes a cause of our continuing pain.
Universal equality - Jain doctrine of ahimsā has minutely studied the mutual behaviour of beings and revealed the truth that when we feel pleased by causing misery to another being or terminating his life we are unaware of the fact that concealed within this pleasure are infinite miseries for us. When we think of hurting or killing another being our mind is filled with turmoil triggered by that force of passions. Our inner peace is destroyed. Therefore, consider the soul of others as similar to yours. If you consider misery of others to be your own misery you will be able to avoid causing pain to others. This ideal of equality of others with the self is the only way of making mutual behaviour between beings pleasurable. The scriptures mention:
“All beings love their life. All beings desire happiness and detest misery. Death is detested by all and life is loved by all. All beings want to live. May what, all beings love life. All want happiness and peace. Therefore, do not harm any being." - Ācārānga Sūtra
and
“That which you consider worth destroying is (like) your own self. That which you consider worth disciplining is (like) your own self.
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