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thus of a trifling degree when compared to the Ahimsa, the good, resulting from protecting a five-sensed person. Again his motive in giving the medicine is not to kill the germs but to save the patient, and that determines the resultant karmic effect.
JAIN JOURNAL
Innumerable germs exist in the human body and they die in consequence of a fast for want of nourishment. Observance of a fast would thus be himsā in a way, but the avoidance of himsă in ways innumerable, while fasting, more than outweighs the technical himsā.
What is indefensible from any point of view is a host of bad habits which very many people copy quite thoughtlessly, such as crushing a fly or a mosquito to death, the use of fly-paper, or flit, throwing out a rat to a dog or a cat, stoning frogs, shooting birds with a catapult, or otherwise, stealing eggs, abusing, slapping or kicking one in an inferior or dependant position. Such are the commonest acts of himsā which are committed every moment, through sheer bad habit ; and these should be stopped early at home and in school.
Jain Ahimsa while a basic principle of religion is the foundation for all ethics, morality, good social, municipal, national, and inter-national relations, and must always be kept in view, to guide ever and anon in every word, thought, or deed. The extent to which Ahimsa can be practised would of course depend upon the varying circumstances of life. It leads to action, and not to inaction. The action must however be well-considered, and performed with due care and caution, without any ill-will, malice, anger, greed, deceit, pride, or passion. It would tend to an all-round progress, in all departments of life, and spheres or action. A good Jain householder, would be a good and successful citizen, soldier, or king, mindful of his duty to others, and to himself.
According to the Jaina scripture known as Padma Purāṇa, Sri Ramacandra, the hero of the Rāmāyaṇa, attained mokṣa, or nirvāṇa, became a worshipful Arhat, and is a worshipable Siddha, because of having followed the discipline of a saint, and having thereby got rid of all karmic contact, although he killed many men in his encounter with Ravana, the king of Ceylon, and in other skirmishes. Such killing was himsā, but the karmic contamination was not deep because of absence of malice, and such as was neutralised by austerities, control of speech and action, meditation and concentration of mind.
Hanumana, the great General and Commander-in-Chief of Sri Ramacandra's army also attained emancipation. So did millions of others.
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