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Jaina Perspective in Philosophy and Religion
those intendest to kill."1 One's soul is inviolable, so is that of others.2 Mahāvīra believed in the spiritual equality of all beings and the supreme importance of life. Hence, any action out of our passional vibrations inflicting injury or death is abjured on all accounts. But what is negatively, abstaining from violence is positively love, sympathy and fellow-feeling 3 Negations and affirmations are complementary to each other. So what is negation of the evil is also the affirmation of the good. Hence, there are the negative and positive aspects of Ahimsā4. The Jaina philosophers have distinguished objective violence (Dravya-biisa. ) and subjective violence (Bhava-hiinsä ).5 The former is concerned with the act, the latter with the agent. Purely objective violence like the surg. on's operation is not violence, 6 Hence, the attitude of the soul, the bad motive aod intention (Pramada and Kaşıya ) constitute the true basis of violence and non-violence. Of course, the Jainas also take into account the external behaviour. But the emphasis is upon intention. If only material ( Dravya ) himsā is regarded as the touch-stone of Ahinsa, which we cannot remove in any form when we are living, individual salvation would
1, Ācārājiga-Sūtra, I. 5. 4-5. 2. Upāsakādhyāna, Kalpa 24, śloka, 292; Padma-purava,
XIV. 186. 3. Maitrī, Pramoda, Karunya and Madhyastha, Yaśastilaka
of Somadeva, pp. 334-337. 4. Sanghavi, S.: Pacificism and Jainism ( Varanasi : J. C.
R. S.), pp. 4-5; Pravacana-sära of Kunda-kunda, III. 17. 5. Brahat-kalki-bhāşya, Verse 394-399, The Vitality (Prāņa)
are conscious ( Bhăva ) or material ( Dravya ). Hivisā
is injury to these vitalities. 6. Viśesāvāśyaka-bhāşya, Verse 1764. 7. Tattvartha-sūtra, VII, 13; Puruşártha-siddhyupāya, 43;
Samaya-sara of Kunda-kunda, Gatha, 262.
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