Jain Journal 1995 07

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

Page 27

JAIN JOURNAL: Vol-XXX, No. 1. JULY 1995 bond with its own karmas and mistakenly identifies itself with the 'not self'. But it has an inherent potential to overcome its weaknesses and actualize itself by identifying itself with itself. This is samatva, the identification of self with self. This can be achieved only when the self overcomes its weaknesses. The primary weakness of self is its "attachment" to the 'other' things. This attachment is really violence. That is why in Tattvärtha-Sutra violence is defined as something which is essentially pramattayogāt i.e. 'yoked with attachment'. This attachment identifies the self with the 'not-self and it is because of this identification with the 'other' that we try to collect and possess as many things or objects as possible. Possession, thus, is also attachment-murchhä parigrahah. Possession is infatuation. Thus, it can safely be said that ultimately that which comes between the potential self to actualize itself is "attachment" and attachment is what makes real violence. Violence is not something somatic only. It is the element of murchha or pramatta in the act of hurting which puts it in the category of violence.
As we have already indicated the term samatva has more than one connotation. Samatva also means tranquility of 'self'; and naturally the tranquility of self can be achieved when mind is not being disturbed with things which are 'not self. In other words, when mind remains steadfast with itself, it enjoys tranquility. Thus, the state of samatva is non-violence and any thing which comes in between the self and its realization is violence or visamatva (opp. of samatva). Samatva and non-violence (ahimsā) go hand to hand.?
If violence is defined as that which causes the potential self not to achieve or actualize itself, violence ceases to be merely a physical entity. Hurting somebody physically in such a manner that it becomes the cause of his non-achievement of something that he could have achieved, is, no doubt, violence by our definition. But, according to Jainism, this violence must have its essential relation with the actor's 'delusion'. This shows that violence is something not merely somatic but has its psychological aspect also.
Jainism, therefore, makes a distinction between dravya hiṇsāand bhāva himsā-the substantive violence and the dispositional violence. Hurting someone somatically to the point of killing, is, what is called, substantive hinsa. This type of violence works on the body of the sufferer. But there is also the psychological violence which from the actor's point of view.makes the person franzy (pramatta) with a vio
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5. Pt. Sukhalal Sanghvi, (ed.) Tattvartha-Sutra, Varanasi, 1985, p. 172. 6. Ibid., p. 178.
7. Samaṇasūtram, Sarva Seva Sangh, Varanasi, 1989, Sūtram 147-ahimsā samayam ceva, etavante viyāṇiyā, p. 46.