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198
Jaina View of Life
The consequences of violating the principle of non-violence are misery in this world and in the next.10He who commits violence is always agitated and afflicted. He is actuated by animosity. He suffers physical and mental torture in this world. After death he is reborn taking a despicable life.198
This gives a rigorous principle of Ahithsā to be practised by all. We are enjoined to abstain from Himsā very strictly, directly or indirectly, in body, mind and speech. In this sense the principle of Ahimsā would appear to be abstract and the practice impossible. Every moment we have to tread on life, however minute it may be. In the struggle for existence, complete abstinence from injury would make life itself impossible, Movement of any sort in this world would be impossible.
The Jainas were aware of this difficulty. They were aware that it would be difficult to accept unqualified practice of nonviolence in the sense presented so far. In fact, the Jaina scriptures did not preach the practice of such unqualified and abstract principle of Ahiṁsā. The principle of Abimsā had to be fitted with the possible practice in this world. The right understanding of Ahiṁsā would be possible if we analyse the concept of Hińsā or violence.
In the Tattvārtha Sūtra we read that hiṁsā is injury or violence caused to the living organism due to carelessness and negligence, and actuated by passions like pride and prejudice, attachment and hatred.104 In Yasastilaka Somadeva defines himsa as injury to living beings through error of judgement. He says "yat syāt pramādayogena prāniņu prāņahapanam”. This definition of himsa has two elements : i) injury to life and ii) the motivation of causing injury. To injure another life is to cause pain to it, but mere injury may not be characterised as himsā. It has to be considered with reference to motive. It
102. ibid and Sarvärthasiddhi, VII, 5-9. 103. ibid. 104. Pramattayogāt prā navyapar opanam hissä, T. S. VII. 8.
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