Jain Journal 1995 10

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

Page 27

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JAIN JOURNAL : Vol-XXX, No. 2. October 1995
26. THE PROBLEM OF AHIMSĀ Q.-If a snake comes to bite us, what should we do? Should we remain
calm and silent and allow it to bite, or kill it outright to save
ourselves? A-If I reply this question in the affirmative and say let the snake bite
you, it would, of course, become a great problem; but anyhow for those who have realised the truth that body is a transient thing, it would not be at all reasonable to kill a creature which is attached to body. So my reply to this question is that those who are anxious for their spiritual good, should, when confronted with such situation, offer their body to snake rather than take out its life. You may well ask, "well, what about those who care a little for spiritual good?" For such people my simple reply is that "let them wander in wretched forms like hell etc. How can one like myself advise them to kill a snake? It is the non-Aryan attitude of mind which teaches the killing of serpents or other creatures. We should ever aspire to be free from such attitude even in dream. Such are my answers to your questions in short and here I close my letter.
In the end I will advise you to study closely the book entitled "Şad-darśana-samuccaya" and ponder over these answers a bit seriously. In case you need any thing further by letter, you may please just write to me. I shall then try to elucidate it. The best thing of course is that we should meet together and have a personal talk about these questions.
Ever engaged in solemn thinking on the ultimate nature of self-the greatest sourse of inspiration.
BOMBAY Samvat 1950 Kanvar Vadi 6, Saturday,
Raichandra Offers respects
Such were the questions and answers which were carried on between the two geniuses. Their value and importance is beyond question. Originally they were written in the Gujarati language and I think, it is the first occasion that they are rendered into English and are being reproduced here. I am glad to note that Bro. Jai Bhagwan Jain, advocate of Panipat, has very kindly revised the English translation, for which I am thankful to him. I am sure, these questions and answers will prove most interesting and instructive to the readers.