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(15) etc., they never say that this type of violence is not violence at all. For example, in building the temple of Jina, there will be unintentional violence of one sensed being of earth, water etc. and there may be occurred unintentional violence of two or more sensed beings. Out they never said that violence done in the name of religion is not violence at all, as Vedic scriptures propound. They say that it is a violence done for the sake of the greater good of the individual and society. It is a little demerit conducive to greater merit. If in a situation, violence is inevitable, Jaina thinkers advise to opt the lesser violence for the greater good. Intentional violence of immobile one-sensed living beings for livelihood and in religious performances is permitted to house holders only.
RATIONAL FOUNDATION OF NON-VIOLENCE
Mackenzi, an eminent Western scholar, believes that the ideal of nonviolence is an outcome of fear, But Indian thinkers in general and Jainas in particular never accepted this view. For them the basis of non-violence is the concept of equality of all beings. They based this ideal not on the emotional basis but on the firm footings of reason. The Daśavaikālika, a Jaina canonical text of 3rd century B.C. mentions that everyone wants to live and not to die. For this simple reason Nigganthas prohibit the violence. It is also mentioned that Just as pain is not dear to oneself, having known this regarding all other beings, one should treat all the beings equally and should keep sympathy with all of them on the simple basis of equality. The simplest rule of our behaviour towards the others is 'whatever you desire for yourself and whatever you do not desire for yourself, desire that or do not desire that for others. This experience of likeness of all beings and the regard for the right of all to live are the basement for the practice of non-violence. It is not only in Jainism, but in
241 Jainism and its History
