Jain Journal 1968 01

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

Page 38

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JAIN JOURNAL
Himsā is not of one kind. It is of two kinds, from the point of view of thought (bhāva) and from that of action (dravya). There can take place himsā (violence) in the act of one's movement, the cleaning of his house, etc. Jivahimsā (violence to beings) cannot be avoided in the carrying on of agriculture, industry and business, etc. It may be that one is to take necessary steps for the protection of himself, friends and relations, own house and own countryll. Such acts of himsā (violence) are not prohibited for the house-holders. Monks are, however, free from the aforesaid various responsibilities. Therefore a great responsibility has been placed on them in observing ahimsā with greater thoroughness.
It is evidently clear from the above analysis of Jaina ethics that there are two aspects of it. The first consists of non-violence (ahimsā), non telling lie (anşta), non-stealing (adattādāna), non-continence (amaithuna) and non-possession (aparigraha). They constitute the core of morality for the monks. And the second comprises the restricted twelve principles of śrāvakadharma (anuvratas or lesser vows). So long as one does not intend to do the act of killing, it is positive virture from the individual, social and spiritual aspects of virtue and non-violence ; the control of the senses is the positive virtue which inculcates in one's spirit an ideal to follow the path of spiritual progress. For, the natural and unnatural troubles and old age come in life which should be maintained by practising external and internal austerities (tapas) and by scratching out the body (samlekhanā) to save the soul in order to attain the highest goal of life --liberation.
Equating the Hindu notion of bhakti with the Jaina notion of darśana, the writer said :
Bhakti=śraddhā is a means (sādhana) in the path of worship. Sraddhā (faith) is made firm by bhakti (devotion); for this reason bhakti (devotion) has got a place in the Jaina worship in the form of service to the gurujanas (elders) and of eulogy (stuti), meditation on or worship of the Tirthankaras and the Siddhas. But there is no place of the basic principles of bhaktimārga (path of devotion) in Jainism. The following points should be kept in view to understand the place of bhakti in Jaina sadhanā (worship) : (1) Nobody is nobody's lord ; the soul itself is the object of worship and meditation and it can be the lord of its own12. (2) One is to destroy one's own karma by own exertion. No God nor Tirthankaras can liberate one's soul. They can only show the way to liberation13. (3) There is no inequality in the liberated souls. When the soul becomes perfect, there does not exist an object of worship for it; there is no distinction between the souls liberated before (it) and itself. (4) The perfect