Jainism

Author(s): Vallabh Smarak Nidhi
Publisher: Vallabh Smarak Nidhi

Page 14

INJURY TO LIFE. But one might say that life in the world is well-nigh Impossible with absolute abstention from injury to all forms of life. So Jainism distinguishes various kinds of injury according to the mental attitude of the person committing it; for it is the intention that causes sin. It is conceded that the good deal of injury to life is involved even in the daily duties of an ordinary man, such as walking, cooking, washing and the like pursuits. The various operations of agriculture and industry also cause destruction of life. Life again, may have to be injured and even destroyed in the act of defending one's own life and property.
So, with the catholicity which characterizes all its rules, Jainism does not prohibit a householder from committing these three kinds of Himsa which may be called accidental, occupational, and protective; rather, shirking from them would be considered a dereliction of duty. It is only the injury for injury's sake, for the merest pleasure or the fun of it without any thought and without any obvious higher end to serve, that a householder is recommended
to guard himself against. Whenever the occa