Jainism

Author(s): M R Gelra
Publisher: Createspace

Page 79

Narration The twenty second Tirthanker in Jain tradition, Nemi Nath or Arishtanemi experienced a remarkable life-changing event. When he went to marry the princess Rajamati, the daughter of Ugrasena, he heard screams of various animals collectively. He enquired about the roaring noises and was informed that these animals had been brought to be butchered for his wedding dinner. He was agonized to know that so many animals would be slaughtered for his marriage and instantly returned back without marrying Rajamati and renounced the world. This is a very powerful event in history used to depict the lesson of compassion for animals i.e. practice of non-violence. Even till today, it is reproduced and performed in the form of plays and dramas. The Vedic and other Brahminical literature imparts information that Neminath was cousin of Lord Krishna.
Another historic example of non-violence narrated in Jain Agam pertains to the life of Raja Prasenjit, who renounced all the worldly activities and became an ascetic. One day, he was standing on the roadside deep in meditation when Raja Shrenik passed him, while going to pay homage to Bhagwan Mahavir. Raja Shrenik asked Mahavira that he had seen a yogi in deep meditation on the way and enquired where he would go if he were to die at this moment. Mahavir said that the yogi in deep meditation was Raja Prasenjit and in meditation he would have certainly gone to Moksha but after Raja Shrenik passed him, some people passing there informed him that his city, Mithila, was burning in flames and his wife, children and countrymen were dying. Raja Prasenjit lost his meditative state and became desperate to go back to Mithila to save his relatives and countrymen. If he died at this point, he would go to hell. But after some time, Mahavira said that Prasenjit had controlled his feelings and believed that he had detached from all external objects. He thought, "Mithila is no more my responsibility. If Mithila burns, nothing burns of mine." Due to his pure mental intentions, he eventually attained Moksha.
These events are historical and represent the true sense of Ahimsa. In Neminath's incidence violence was visually prominent (gross himsa) whereas with Prasenjit, the violence arose within him, which is considered a finer aspect of himsa. A major characteristic of Jainism is the emphasis on the consequences of mental violence. For one's mind anger, ego, deceit, greed and uncontrolled sense organs are the powerful enemies and keep the souls in this worldly cycle of birth and death.
The oriental teachers several millennia ago propounded the doctrine of Non-violence. Pioneers of Non-violence were Lord Mahavira, Lord Buddha and sages of Upanishads. In modern times, Leo Tolstoy, Gandhi and Jain Saints Vidyanandji, Mahashraman ji taught us how to practice the philosophy of non-violence in our day-to-day life by different methods.
Mahavira's basic postulate of non-violence in thoughts, deeds and actions remains a beacon for the entire mankind. Buddha believed non-violence was compassion and