Jainism For Beginners Level 02

Author(s): Sayampurnashreeji
Publisher: Sayampurnashreeji

Page 49

In Jain scripture the nature of violence is classified in four categories:
including animals, insects, plants and vegetation etc. It is the basis of all stages of knowledge and the source of all rules of conduct.
Tuthfulness limiled vow SATYA ANUVRATA
1. Premeditated Violence : To attack
someone knowingly. 2. Defensive Violence: To commit
intentional violence in defense of one's
own life. 3. Vocational Violence: To incur violence
in the execution of one's means of livelihood. Common Violence: To commit violence towards one sense living beings such as plants in the performance of daily activities.
he second of the five limited vows
is Truth, It is more than abstaining from falsehood. It is seeing the world in its real form and adapting to that reality. The vow of truth puts a person in touch with his inner strength and inner capacities.
Premeditated violence is totally prohibited for all. A householder may not have a choice but to incur violence defensively and vocationally provided he maintains complete detachment. Common violence may be unavoidable for survival, but even here, one should minimize violence in all daily activities such as in preparing food, cleaning house etc. This explains the Jain's practices of filtering drinking water, vegetarianism, not eating meals at night, and abstinence from alcohol. Nonviolence is the foundation of Jain ethic. Lord Mahavir says:
In this vow, a person avoids lies, such as giving false evidence, denying the property of others entrusted to him, avoid cheating others, etc. The vow is to be followed in thought, action, and speech, by doing it himself or by getting it done through others.
JAIN HOUSEHOLDERS (SHRAVAKS & SHRAVIKAS)
He should not speak the truth, if it harms others or hurts their feelings. He should, under these circumstances, keep silent.
_Non-slealing limited vow ACHAURYA / ASTEYA
"One should not injure subjugate, enslave, torture or kill any living being including animals, insects, plants and vegetation."
V
n this vow, a person must not
steal, rob, or misappropriate others goods and property. He also must not cheat and use illegal means in
This is the essence of religion.It embraces the welfare of all living beings
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