Jaina Ethics

Author(s): Dayanand Bhargav
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas

Page 19

Jaina Ethics In the West, ethics has been precisely defined 'as the study of what is right or good in conduct'.1 What do, however, the terms ‘right and 'good' signify ? An answer to this question may help us in understanding the nature and scope of ethics.
(i) Right : This term, derived from Latin word “rectus", means 'according to rule'. Its Greek synonym, dikaios, also signifies the same sense. Right conduct, therefore, would mean a conduct according to some rules'.
(ii) Good : This term, derived from Greek ay a fòs, means 'which is valuable for some end. Good conduct, therefore, will mean a conduct which is ‘valuable for some end'.
It will be observed that the same conduct may be termed both 'right' and 'good' from two different angles. Rules are framed with some end in view. Therefore, a conduct, which will be 'according to rules' or right will also be 'valuable for some end', which is kept in view while framing those rules, and therefore it will also be good.
It is this main problem of ethics, viz. the study of what is 'good' or 'right' in conduct, which has many more corrolaries. For example, "Is happiness the ultimate end of action ? Is virtue preferable to pleasure ? How do pleasure and happiness differ ? What is meant by saying that I ought to perform some particular action or to respect some general precept, such as the keeping of promises ? Am I under any obligation to seek the welfare of other persons, as well as my own ? If so, what is the right proportion between the two welfares ? What is meant by 'freedom of the will’? Is feeling or reason the right guide to conduct ? What do the terms 'good', 'right', 'obligation', 'duty', 'conscience signify practically and theoretically ?”. Thus, there are many dilemmas at every step in our life, when we cannot escape the responsibility of passing a moral judgement on problems arising from such conflict as that of self and others, pleasure and duty, freedom and necessity, law and liberality and circumstances and character.3
I. Mack
Mackenzie, John S., A Manual of Ethics, London, 1929, p. 1. 2. Rogers, A.P., A Short History of Ethics, London, 1913, p. 1. 3. Muirhead, John H., The Elements of Ethics, p. 1,