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AHIŃSĀ AS A SOCIO-SPIRITUAL VALUE
There is no denying the fact that the doctrine of Ahiṁsā is the be-all and end-all of the Jinist way of life and living. “Just as in the world there is nothing higher than the Meru mountain and nothing more extended than the sky, so also in the world, there is no value excellent and universal corresponding to Ahiṁsā'.” The oldest Jaina Agama Ayāro remarkably pronounces that none of the living beings ought to be killed or deprived of life, ought to be ordered or ruled, ought to be enslaved or possessed, ought to be distressed or afflicted and ought to be put to unrest or disquiet. (Hod TTT UT Toal, u 37 wld Toall, o of Foll, OT परितावेयव्वा, ण उद्दवेयव्वा) The sociopolitical organisations and the capitalistic set up can easily derive inspiration from this ethico-social statement. Thus the Āyāro (Ācārānga) conclusively pronounces that after understanding the importance of kindness to beings, the enlightened person should preach, disseminate and applaud it at all places in East-West and North-South directions. (दयं लोगस्स जाणित्ता पाईणं, पडीणं, दाहिणं उदीणं आइक्खे विभए किट्टे वेदवी) The Praśnavyākarana Sūtra designates Social Ahimsā as kindness (CIT), security (TTT), salutariness (Figlur), fearlessness (374), nonkiller (3741913), and so on.
Owing to the momentousness of Ahimsā, the Ācārānga gives us certain arguments to renounce Himsā.
(1) Socio-political argument against Hiṁsā: The Ācārānga condemns Himsā by saying that its operation is without any stop, cessation and discontinuance and it goes on increasing to the extent possible with the political consequenc that the race of armaments becomes unarrestable and continues to grow without any check. In contradistinction to this it eulogiges Ahiṁsā by saying that its observance is total and not piecemeal, with the result that the armament race discontinues and comes
Jaina Mysticism and other essays
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