Jainism Some Essays

Author(s): A S Gopani
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 22

Jaina Re'igi on
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who considered all as spiritually one and the same and who identified themselves with Brahma have special reason to abhor injury because he whom he wants to kill is not different from him. Therefore, non-injury should be the only religious principle to be practised by both whether he belongs to the category of monistic creed or dualistic creed. Mahāvira insisted that the principle of non-injury should occupy unconditional place in life. He also made it clear that even the slightest injury done with the least carelessness to the smallest possible living organism is irreligion.
This unexceptionable practice of non-injury is possible only if the rules of conduct are hard and fast. Due to his unqualified emphasis on this fact, the rules of conduct which Mahāvira framed for the order of monks and others in the light of his experience differentiated Jainism from other religions and established its separate, independent existence. The practice of total non-injury is possible only if it is strengthened by that of other supplementary vows, namely, Truthfulness, Non-stealing, Continence and Possessionlessness. These vows are recognized by the other religious systems also but their practices will become living and forceful if only special attention is bestowed on the minutest details even. When we take into account the whole subtle set of laws and by-laws regarding minor matters of conduct and the observance of vows, it becomes immediately apparent where the Sramaņa Nirgranthas differ from the other Sramaņas.
Being externally the same in point of nudity, a naked Bhikkhu might be mortifying himself with ignited fire all around him and a spike in his hand, while a nude Nirgrantha would be thinking that he cannot and should not do so as there are living crganisms called fire-bodies in fire, one of the five elements. This is the attitude shown in other respects also such as wanderings, alms, residence etc. etc. In short every form of Nirgrantha's conduct is based without fall on the cardinal principle of non-injury while the others do not bother about injury or non-injury.
For the elaboration of this principle of non-injury, the loose threads of the science of biology were collected and constructed into whole. In this connection, one is advised to refer to Acārā nga which contains the direct utterances of Mahāvira. There we find, at first, the discussion of the "weapon", in others words, a discussion about what causes and constitutes the killing of a living organism. This necessitated a reorganization of the biological science. Mahāvira posed a question: What is that place in the universe which is devoid of living organisms ? When Mahāvira perceived through the eyes of his superhuman knowledge, the presence of living organism in even earth, water, fire, wind and vegetables, where others could