Jainism a Glimpse

Author(s): Punyadarshanvijay
Publisher: Sanmarg Prakashan

Page 51

"Jiva-Dayā" means caring for and sharing with all living beings, tending, protecting & saving them. It entails, universal friendliness (Maitri) universal forgiveness (Kșamā) and universal fearlessness (Abhaya).
Jayaņā :
How can a man live in this world without committing violence? The utmost limit one can achieve is only through Samyama -Complete Renunciation and Five Great Vows as practised by Jaina Monks according to Jaina Scriptures. For people in general the road ahead is with Jayaņā. Universe is full of living beings. To reach the state of eternal salvation and bliss, which is possible only from human condition, man has to preserve his life but with extreme care he hurts the least. Thereby limiting to fewer and lower forms of life, which result in generation of less harmful Karma he generates. This leads to avoidance of meat, wine, even things like honey, including roots such as potato, onions, etc., where continuous breeding of invisible (to the naked eye) numberless lowest forms of living beings take place.
No virtue of spirit is greater than reverence for life. "All Arhatas" (Venerable ones) of the past, present and future; discourse, counsel, proclaim, propound and prescribe thus in unison: "Do not injure, abuse, oppress, enslave, insult, torture or kill any creature or living being".
For giving practical shape in our day to day life Jaina Scriptures guide us, so as not to hurt living souls as far as possible, by doing our activities with "Jayana" which means "With utmost care, with motherly tenderness and reverence for life".
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