Jaina Mysticism and Other Essays

Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 53

beings. This purification consists in our refraining from certain actions and also in our performing certain actions by keeping in view the existence of human and sub-human beings.
It may be asked what is in us on account of which we consciously lead a life of values based on Ahiṁsā? The answer is : it is Karuņā which makes one move in the direction of adopting Ahiṁsāvalues. It may be noted that the degree of Karuņā in a person is directly proportionate to the development of sensibility in him. The greatness of a person lies in the expression of sensibility beyond ordinary limits. This should be borne in mind that the emotional life of a person plays a decisive role in the development of healthy personality and Karuņā is at the core of healthy personality and Karuņā is at the core of healthy emotions. Attachment and aversion bind the human personality to mundane,-existence, but Karunā liberates the individual from Karmic enslavement. The Dhavalā, the celebrated commentary on the Satkhandāgama, remarkably pronounces that Karunā is the nature Of soul.12 To make it clear, just as infinite knowledge is the nature of soul, so also is Karunā. This implies that Karunā is potentially present in every being although its full manifestation takes place in the life of the Arhat, the perfect being. Infinite Karuņā goes with infinite knowledge. Finite Karuņā goes with finite knowledge.
Thus if Karuņā which is operative on the perception of the sufferings of the human and sub-human beings plunges into action in order to remove the sufferings of these beings, we regard that action as Sevā. Truely speaking, all Ahiṁsā-values are meant for the removal of varied sufferings in which the human and sub-human beings are involved. Sufferings may be physical and mental, individual and social, moral and spiritual. To alleviate, nay, to uproot these diverse sufferings is Sevā. In fact, the performance of Sevā is the verification of our holding Ahiṁsā-values. It is understandable that physical, mental and economic sufferings block all types of progress of the individual and make his life miserable. There are individuals who are deeply moved by these sufferings and consequently they dedicate themselves to putting an end to these sufferings.
Jaina Mysticism and other essays