Jain Journal 1995 07

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

Page 28

VERMA : MEANING AND TYPOLOGY OF VIOLENCE lent attitude, and from the sufferer's point of view makes the victim fearful and timid.
Jainism also makes a distinction between the three instruments
iolences -- mana, vacana and kaya-mind, speech and body. Violence when associated with mind is psychological, when associated with speech is verbal and when associated with body, it is somatic. Mind, speech and body are the three “instruments" through which we commit violence. Hurting bodily is not the only form of violence. Hurting through speech (e.g. abusive language), or, even hurting psychologically are also forms of violence.
The third dimension is made in relation to the act of violence itself. There is, first, the intention to undertake violence. This is technically known as samrambha. Then, secondly, there is the preparation for committing violence, know as, samārambha. Samārambha refers to the means, the plans and the design to undertake violence; and, finally, there is the actual act of violence itself-ārambha. Now this distinction between the intention, the plan and the act itself of violence clearly shows that violence first of all takes places in the mind of the actor. It is his intention to act violently which compels him to plan it and commit it. Violence, worth its name, is never unintentioned.
The fourth distinction is made according to the pungent despositions which are essentially and organically related with violence. Thus, there is violence due to anger-krodha; due to conceit, moha; due to greed, lobha and due to crookedness-māyā. All these are astringent passions, known as kasāya in Jainism. Under the influence of these kasayas an individual is motivated for violence. These kaśāyas being, as if, 'agents' of violence are the real culprits. Violence when gets associated with them becomes the obstruction in the way of self to realize itself.
The obstruction may be overwhelming or mild as per intensity of a given desposition. When the intensity of the passion, say, anger, is very severe (anantānubandhi) it can even obstruct the right attitude of a person. The individual then will not be able to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong; and may not even try for his realization or release. But when the intensity does not blind the one in taking the right attitude, it may obstruct the discipline of the householder partially. This type of violence which deters the householder to follow the required prescriptions necessary for controlling his
aviour is known as apratyākhyāni — the violence which compels the householder to go back to a life of indiscipline. This is also quite a
8. See, Sarvārthasiddhi, 6.8 and also Jńānāmmava, 1.8.10 for the typologies
of violence.