Jain Journal 1968 07

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

Page 57

JULY, 1968
2.
3.
4.
5.
Neither intentionally purchasing stolen goods nor aiding a thief in stealing.
Not dealing in the goods prohibited by law.
Not resorting to nefarious practices in business.
Not misappropriating the property or money belonging to a trust or an organization in the capacity of an officer of such an organization.
Ahimsa (non-violence):
The principle of ahimsa has been pushed to the extreme by Jainism. No layman will intentionally kill any living being, not even an insect, however troublesome. The practice of ahimsa led to the exclusion of the Jaina from all industrial trades endangering life, hence from all trades which made use of fire, involved work with sharp instruments (wood or stone work) from masonry and in general from the majority of industrial callings.11
It is maintained that agriculture was completely excluded; plough ing, especially, always endangers the lives of worms and insects. But here one meets with contradictory claims made by the various scholars of Jainism. It is said that the kind of ahimsa pleaded by Jainism didn't put any restriction on agriculture. On the other, agriculture was the main occupation of the vaisyas.12 There are many instances among the Jainas whose main occupation has been agriculture. Inspite of the fact that some of the Jainas had agricuture as their chief occupation, the vow of ahimsa developed a kind of negative attitude towards many occupations, as a result they confined themselves to the trading class. The following businesses should not be undertaken by those who have accepted the vow of ahimsa :
1. Making and selling charcoal.
2. Agriculture, horticulture or gardening.
3. Making and selling carts, etc.
4. Driving vehicles.
5. Blasting rocks and digging mines.
6. Ivory business.
7. Lac business.
8. Liquids, particularly liquor.
9. Poison.
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10. Fur, hair.
11. Water pumping.
12. Castrating.
13. Burning or cutting green forests.
14. Drying lakes or ponds.
15. Bringing women for immoral purposes to make money.