Jinamanjari 2001 09 No 24

Author(s): Jinamanjari
Publisher: Canada Bramhi Jain Society Publication

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Gāthā and other canonical texts cite such examples as the following:
Once a group of monks had to pass the night in a forest infested with wild beasts. An exceptionally robust monk was posted as a guard. The monk on duty killed three tigers and saved the Acarya and others. His act, though blatantly against the vow of ahimsā, was not condemned. According to another exception to the rule of ahimsa, monks were permitted to take a recourse to violence, if need be, to protect nuns (Swami Brameshananda, 1992:249).
Jaina literature contains many accounts of the dialogues between Mahāvīra and King Śrēņika on this subject. For example, we have the following traditional story:
Once Śrenika asked Mahāvīra the reason for his being born in hell. Mahāvīra said to the king: 'Yes, it has to be. On account of your deep interest in hunting in the past you have acquired karma leading to a birth in hell. And for following my path you will be born again as a human being, and just as I am the last Tirthankara of the present phase of the time-cycle, so you will become the first Tirthankara named, Padmanabha, in the next phase. Hearing the great prophecy, King Śrēņika became consoled.
In conclusion, the pre-Aryan Jaina concept of ahimsa is unique. Heinrich Zimmer and Noel Rettig endorse the view that the Jaina religion, representing pre-Aryan system of thought, and can be considered to be the oldest of all Dravidian born philosophies. In this context, and in light of the evidence I've presented, it would indicate that resolution to the dichotomy of ahiṁsā vs. hiṁsa, the reverence for life, and the theory of nonintentional killing as a resolution to the dichotomy is a very old one, even predates the primitive practice than human and animal sacrifice.
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