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Jaina Acara: Siddhanta aura Svarupa
monk has to free himself. His food is regulated, shared with other monks and equitably distributed among all. All details, in this regard have already been dealt with.
(5) Adananiksepana-It is to take care of whatever utensils and the like one comes to possess. Insects may be afraid, even killed. Spiders may spread their cobwebs.
Non-violence treats all alike or as one would like to treat oneself. It does not suffer any discord. Harmony is its very essence. It helps the change of heart. It believes in reforming man. Even a criminal may be regenerated. The effective reply to violence is nothing but non-violence, love and affection for one and all.
Man in the pre-historic times was non-violent, although Darwin would contradict it. Truly speaking, violence is man's perversity, not his nature. Non-violence was first applied to man alone. It was extended to birds and beasts and later to insects, worms and the plants in general. Such beasts eat meat, eat it raw and drink water with the tongue. Their nails are sharp. They cannot tolerate heat. The sunlight is unpleasant to them. Even while working hard, they do not perspire. Their intestines are small. Religions have tried to curb the tendencies of man.
Non-vegetarianism has been censured by most religious founders, but later followers began to relish non-vegetarian diet. This happened in the case of Buddhism, Christinaity and the like.
The Vedic tradition treated bath as important and bath in rivers like the Ganges has been taken as holy. Fire also was worshipped. The Persian religions regards fire as sacrosanct.
The Jainas have been very punctilious in the observance of nonviolence. Monks and nuns can remain strict but not the laity. Householders observe vows within certain limitations, but the goal is ever in their view. Jainism never favoured dogmatism. Non-absolutism is not only their creed, but their faith. A thing can be looked from different points of view, not one of which can be wholly right. What is lopsided can never be whole. The absolutist point of view negates all other stands and causes avoidable friction, Purity of action is but external. The purity of speech also is equally external. What matters most is the purity of mind which does not allow any karma to pollute or bind the soul.
The Jain doctrines are a beacon-light to humanity that might be shrouded in darkness. To give equal right to others, to listen to their stand and then come to some reasoned conclusion is its essence.
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