Jaina Path of Ahimsa

Author(s): Vilas Sangve
Publisher: Bhagwan Mahavir Research Centre

Page 69

The Jaina Path Of Ahimsa
It is quite significant to note that it is enjoined upon a house holder to abstain from the Samkalpi Hiṁsā, i.e, intentional injury and not from the occupational, domestic and protective Himsã as it is not possible for him to do so, while living in the householder's stage. However, a householder has been advised to try his best to avoid as far as possible the first three kinds of Himsā as well and a householder has to make a steady progress in such an endeavour.
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Thus, a householder's vow of Ahimsa means abstention from intentional hurting or injury, i. e, Samkalpi Hiṁsā and it can easily be put into practice.
(4) Observance of Ahimsa by Ascetics :
The position of the Ascetics is different from that of the House holders. While the householders have to observe Ahimsā of Apavādiki Nivrtti type, i.e., of partial renunciation, the ascetics are required to observe Autsargiki Nivṛtti, i.e., complete renunciation. The ascetics do avoid all the four kinds of Himsā, viz., Udyamī Hiṁsā. Gṛahārambhi Himsa, Virodhi-Himsā and Samkalpi Himsā, since they are not at all concerned with the activities which are carried out by the householders. At the same time the ascetics try to observe Ahimsa in a nine-fold way as laid down by Jaina scriptures, i.c., they avoid committing Himsā by self, through agent and approval, and by speech, mind and body.
This complete renunciation of Himsā in as many as nine ways is quite difficult to put into practice and that too without any fault whatsoever. That is why a doubt is sometimes raised as to how is it possible for an ascetic to carry out his daily activities without causing Himsa in an atmosphere surcharged with different kinds of sentient beings? But this doubt can be cleared by the use of utmost caution and care by the ascetics in their various kinds of behaviour appropriate to their ascetic way of life. In this connection, in a standard Jaina authoritive work, Bhagavati Ārādhanā, pertaining to the rules of behaviour for the ascetics, a question is put in the following manner :
कथं चरे कधं चिट्टे कधमासे कधं सये ।
कथं भुंजेज्ज भासेज्ज कधं पावं ण वज्झदि || 1012
that is, "In this world full of sentient beings, how an ascetic should walk, should stand, should sit, should sleep, should take meals, should speak and should be free from sin ?" Even though the question