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JAIN JOURNAL: Vol-XXXVI, No. 3 January, 2002
According to the Acārānga, there are six classes of living beings. There are numberless lives or Jīvas, not only embodied in animals, men, gods, insects and plants, but also in the four elements, earth, water, fire, and wind. The lives in these four elements, though unable to express themselves, do feel pain, 'as somebody may cut or strike a blind man [who is unable to see]' (1.1.2). No suffering should be inflicted on any of these creatures. The reason is that 'all beings are fond of life; they like pleasure, hate pain, and shun destruction; they like life and long to live' (1.2.3). All living beings are interconnected. None can hurt anyone without hurting himself.
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Whom thou intendest to kill is none other than thee. Whom thou intendest to tyrannize over is none other than thee. Whom thou intendest to torment is none other than thee... The righteous man who has grasped this basic truth does not therefore kill, nor cause others to kill. He should not intentionally cause the same punishment for himself (1.5.5).
Why and how do men inflict injury on other creatures?
In the world these are all the causes of sin (karma samārambha) which must be comprehended and renounced. About this the revered one has taught the truth: For the sake of the splendour, honour and glory of life, for the sake of birth and death, and final liberation, for the removal of pain, all these causes of sin are at work, which are to be comprehended and renounced (1.1.1).
There are two more definitions of Dharma found in the Acārānga. Dharma is, it says, equanimity (1.5.3). In another place it is declared that following the commandments of the Lord is the highest Dharma (1.6.2). It may not always be possible to grasp the profound significance of the Lord's teaching. Hence this statement.
Self-Conquest. While the Acārānga emphasizes right conduct, it spares no pain to explain the psychological reason behind it and the need for the conquest of mind before physical restraint or austerities can be fruitful. The author forcefully assets:
I have heard and experienced this in my innermost heart : freedom from bondage is in your innermost heart (1.5.2.).
Man, thou art thy own friend, why wishest thou for a friend beyond thy self? (1.3.3).
True renunciation consists in giving up attachment and the idea of ownership or my-ness. 'He who, ceasing to act, relinquishes
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