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Jaina Philosophy and Religion
near our neighbour's and thus to put him in danger or to cause him trouble and harm is also a form of violence.
About Truth
To describe a thing as it is or an event as it happened is generally regarded as the truth, and factually no doubt it is the truth, but from the religious standpoint it may or may not be the truth. If the factual truth is beneficial or at least not harmful to others, it is worthy of being called the truth. But if the factual truth is harmful to others, it is not worthy of being regarded as the truth. So, mere factually truthful statement should not be uttered, if it is harmful to a living being. Let us explain the point by some examples. We know the direction a deer has gone in. But when we are asked the direction the deer has gone in by a hunter, pointing out the right direction endangers its life. So, in such a situation, keeping silence or showing the hunter a wrong direction in order to save the creature is our duty and religion. Again, in spite of our knowing the hiding place of a woman, on being asked as to where she is by the wicked person searching her with evil intention, our keeping silence or misguiding him is a good and religious act. Similarly, rioters ask a householder if a particular man is in his house; now, if he points out them the man whom he has given shelter in his house and a woman's veil to put on, then they will certainly kill him. Under this circumstance, the householder has to lie that the man is not in his house, and to make this factually untrue statement is his duty and religion. If the factual truth is harmful to others, it should not be regarded as truth. It is absolutely necessary to be cautious and to use one's power of discrimination and discretion to decide as to whether or not one should make a statement of fact. If we have to tell the mad, the diseased, etc., a lie for their benefit,
1. The etymology of the term 'satya' is 'sadbhyo hitam satyam'--that is, that which is
beneficial to living beings is the truth. ukte'nyte bhaved yatra praninām pränaraksanam/ anstam tatra satyam syāt satyam apy anytań bhavet //
The Mahābhārata, Bahulopākhyāna When telling untruth saves or protects living beings, it is not untruth but truth; and at the same time telling the truth is, in fact, telling the untruth. tusiņio uvehejja jānam vā no jāņam ti vaejjā/
Acarangasūtra, II Srutaskandha, III Adhyayana, III Uddeśa. The statement means that man must simply maintain silence or say that he does not know even if he knows.
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