Jain Journal 1967 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 12

JAIN JOURNAL
and the intention behind it. But it is not true. An act is considered himsā only if it is perpetrated under the influence of pramāda-pramattayogāt prāņavyaparopanam himsā. A person is pramatta when there is the rising of pramāda (i.e., kaşāyas viz., anger, pride, deceit and greed) in him. If in this state of rise of passions, the soul indulges in taking away the life of any living being, this is an act of himsā. Himsā is adharma becauses it causes pain to the creature killed-sā pranino dukhahetutvād adharmah. Of course, the causing of pain is not the absolute criterion. A surgeon causes pain to the patient when treating diseases by surgery. But surgery is not an act of violence, even if it proves fatal. Višeşāvašyakabhāşya says:
ahanamto vi hu himso dutthattanao mao abhimaro yva bāhimto na vi himso suddhattanao jahā vijjo (1764)
A hunter on account of his defiled state of mind is considered a murderer, even though he has not actually committed any murder ; but a surgeon, on account of his undefiled and pure condition of mind, is not regarded as a cruel person, even though the patient may feel pain or even die. The presence of passions is the determining factor as to whether an act is himsā or not. Suppose a person is extremely careful for avoiding injury to life, his mind being saturated with compassion for all living beings. Now if inspite of his freedom from passions and extreme caution and carefulness, he chances to tread upon an insect and injure it, that is not an act of violence. Numerous citations from the Jaina Agamas and other authoritative texts will bear out the validity of this contention. Thus in the Daśavaikälika Sutra we have :
jayam care jayam citthe jayamāse jayam saye jayam bhumjanto bhasamto pāvakammam na bandhai (I.IV.8)
One should walk, stand, sit and sleep self-controlled. A person eating and speaking self-controlled does not bind sinful karman. One may happen to take away life and yet be free from the sin of killing-viyojayati cāsubhir na ca vadhena samyujyate (SS, VII. 14). There are also cases where actually injury to life is not done at all, but even then these may be cases of himsā. A soul under the sway of passions kills itself by itself in advance, though other creatures may or may not be killed in the sequel :
svayam evātmanātmānam hinastyātmā pramādavān pūrvam prānyantarānām tu pascat syäd vā na vā vadhah
(SS, VII. 13.)