Jain Journal 1998 10

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

Page 13

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JAIN JOURNAL : Vol-XXXIII, No. 2 October 1998 3.3. Justification of violence to life 3.3.1 Self-mortification and Self-sacrifice
Now there is one argument whether one is allowed to take one's life in the process of saving oneself or others. How are self-mortification and self-persecution justified ? Can we harm ourselves or others to safeguard our own interests ?
We see in the Brahmanic tradition the sacrifice of animals, birds etc. in order to obtain wealth and prosperity to the yajamāna. The sacrifice of these birds and animals were justified saying that the victims will enjoy a better status in the life to come.26 L.C. Burman argues against this contention that the same soul works in all and it is sinful to kill any kind of animal at any time and at any place. Sruti does not set down injunctions to kill. Self protection is the aim of every creature and ātman has no narrow domains, it is all and everywhere. 27 It is this attitude of the Brāhmaṇas of sacrificing animals etc. before God and in his name that led Hemacandra to call the law of Manu as the 'himsā sāstra' or the law of violence.28 Whereas the Jaina Ācāryas like Amrtacandra and Amitagati maintain 'absolute ahiṁsā' and say that it is wrong to kill even destructive animals.29
Self mortification is usually understood as inflicting pain upon oneself. But in a religious and ethical sense it does not result in pain. It is rather the joy of offering oneself in sacrificial service. When viewed outwardly it may evoke sympathy etc. But the motivation offers tremendous satisfaction and joy to the one who is involved in such a practice. In Buddhist tradition we have ample evidences for such selfsacrificial attitude of a Bodhisattva. According to the Prajñā pāramitā sūtra, śiksāsamuccaya and other Mahāyāna texts, a Bodhisattva shows karunā chiefly by resolving to sutter the torments and agonies of the dreadful purgatories during innumerable aeons, if need be, so that he may lead all beings to perfect enlightenment.30 The story of Pūrņa in the Samyuttanikāya shows to what extent the forbearance of an individual can go.31 A Bodhisattva is the greatest in forgiving and the 26. Manu 5.40, Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 25. 27. Jaina Gazette, Vol. 14, p. 116. 28. Hemacandra, Bibliotheca Indica, No. 172, Calcutta, 1907-1921, 2.33-49. 29. Puruşārthasiddhyupāya, 79-89 by Amrtacandrasūri, The Sacred Books of
the Jainas, Vol. 4, ed. with trans. Ajit Prasada, The Central Jain Publishing
House, Lucknow, 1993. 30. Śikṣāsamuccaya, ibid., p. 148. 31. Samyuttanikāya, C.A.F. Rhys Davids and F.L. Woodward, The Book of the
Kindred Sayings, Vol. 1-5. London, 1917-1930, Vol.4, p. 60.