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Jaina Acāra : Siddhanta aura Svarūpa
Earth-bodies, water and fire-bodies are killed every moment. The lives of six types of existence are always at stake. People intentionally or unintentionally kill one to five-sensed beings. Those who consider themselves pure, manufacture weapons where insects are killed. Earth-bodies are killed for being freed from the bondage of rebirths and the like. Similar is the fate of water-bodies. Even scientists have said that a single drop of water contains ten thousand billions of moving insects. Fire-bodies tale is still more grim, since a raging fire leaves nothing unburnt. Straw, wood, cow-dung, refuse etc. generate insects. Even flying birds are consumed by fire. Sūtrakstārga says that not only one burning fire but also one extinguishing it indulges in violence. Air- bodies repeat the same tale. Same is the case of plants. Many people kill animals for the worship of gods and goddesses. Others for their skin, flesh, blood, heart, fat, feathers in which they trade and some time purposelessly too. Some kill lions and serpents because they caused the death of some of their relations. In Digambara literature reasons for violence are as follows:
Passion, fun, likes, dislikes, grief, in the name of rituals, luxuriousness, money, religion etc. Three factors, viz. the killer, the killed and the reason of his being killed are extant. The six types of existence are
earth, water, fire, plant and air-bodies as also moving ones. The more sensed beings have greater consciousness than lesser sensed. As such, more violence is necessarily involved in killing beings having more senses.
In Sūtrakrtäriga the argument of Hastitāpasas was as follows:
"Those who subsist on bulb, root and fruit destroy many stationary beings as also moving ones dependent on them. There are numerous insects in big wild fruits. Those who eat such fruits destroy them. Monks on their begging-tours kill many ants. Their mind is also vitiated by the desire of begging. But in a year we kill a big-sized elephant and live year-long on its flesh and thus protect many insects. Hence the religion is great, because we kill one and save many."
This argument is mistaken. On the one hand there is a five-sensed animal and on the other hand there are many immobile beings. There is great sin in killing a five-sensed being because the killer in the perpetration of the act cannot but be cruel. The five-sensed animal runs to conceal himself, even resists as far as he can, with the desire to counterattack him. When wounded, he writhes in pain and cries hoarse. There is still greater sin in killing a human being. The more sensed beings experience smarting pain. The bondage of karma will correspondingly be tighter. Aupapātika and others have regarded such killings' as the cause of being sent to hell but not in killing one-sensed beings.
In Uttarādhyana you read that Ariştanemi, on the eve of his marriage, was bathed with the water contained in one hundred and eight jars Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only
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