Jainism Some Essays

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

Page 46

Jaina Theory and Practice of Non-Violence
non-violence. So we find that the Jaina religion is described as a religion rooted in non-violence.?
In this way in India the importance of ahimsa instead of satya (truth) was accepted in religion due to the propagation of the religion rooted in ahimsa. It may be noted here that before the time of Mahavira and the Buddha in Vedic religion the satya was most important.
But after Mahavira and Buddha we find the importance of Satya as well as of the Ahimsā, recognised in the Epic literature and the Purāņas. It is quite clear that this is due to the influence of the Jaina and the Buddist religion.
In view of the theory that the internal passion is the real violence and not the killing of the other living being it was clearly stated by Lord Mahavira that -
purisā tumam eva tumm-mittam kim bahiyaṁ mittaṁ icchasi?
[39
(Aca. 1.3.34)
tumam si nāma tam ceva jaṁ 'hantavvam' ti mannasi..............tamhā na hanta na vi ghayae (Aca. 1.5.5.4.)
"Man, Thou art thy own friend; Why
Wishest thou for a friend beyond thy self"
(SBE. Vol. XXII p. 33)
"Thou art thy self the person to be killed......so one should not be the Killer or the murderer" (Acā. 1.5.5.4.) Now let us see what the commentators and the other prominent Jaina Acary as have to say regarding the violence and non-violence.
Acarya Siddhasena has clearly stated that though one kills the living being one does not have the sin of killing because of his apramāda (carefulness),8
Same sentiments are found in Oghaniryukti (748, 749) and in Acarya Kundakunda's Pravacanasära (3.17) when they say that those who are careful (apramatta) to them there is no sin even though the living being is killed.
The most profound discussion of the theory of non-violence is done by Acarya Jinabhadra in his Viseṣāvasyakabhāṣya (Pub. L.D.S.):
8.
"One should not fear that because earth, etc. are so crowded with souls, there would be himsa (injury) at every step whether one wills it or
7.
so ya ahimsamulo: dhammo jiyaragadosamohchim ......Puspamālā, gāthā-5
bhanio jinchi................................ ... ... ... ... ... ... .......... I
Siddhasena: Dvātrimśikā 3.16.