Jain Digest 1990 01 Vol 17 No 01

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

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Jain Ideas in the Modern World
Late Prof. A Chakravarti
The most valuable factor in Indian thought is Ahimsa or non- violence. Its import is not confined to the religious commandment, "Thou shalt not kill" This injunction is generally understood to be restricted to human society. "Thou shalt not kill" thy fellow hurian beings. There is no religious significance within that limitation. It is maintained by the law of the State. Its violation will be a crime punished by the State. But the principle of Ahimsa in Indian thought is of wider application. It means "Thou shalt not kill or injure any living being." however low it be in the scale of living organisms, Further, its implication is not merely negative. It has a positive foundation. It is based upon universal love. Wherevet there is suftering and pain, you must extend your loving hand to remove the pain and to alleviate the misery.
This principle of Ahimsa has been the central doctrine of Indian thought from times immemorial. It appears to have been the basis of what is called the Indus Valley Civilization. Even before the period of the Aryan invasion, it was observed by the pre- Aryan Indians as a strict religious principle. Ahimsa in this wide application forms the fundamental basis of Jainism, while all other Indian religious sytems accpt this principle in a limited form, to suit their convenience. It is Jainism alone that emphasizes it in its complete and absolute form, including all the various ethical implications such as abstaining from eating meat and avoiding animal sacrifice in the name of religion.
A more important aspect of the principle of Ahimsa than that of non- injury to other living beings is an implication of this principle relating to the self. The strict observance of Ahimsa forms the main factor in spiritual development. A person trying to observe this principle must adopt a psycholo gical attitude conducive to its observance. He must rid himself completely of all the gross emotions, such as hatred, anger, etc. He must put himself mentally in the place of the suffering beings. It is only then that he will be able to appreciate fully
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