Lessons of Ahimsa and Anekanta for Contemporary Life

Author(s): Tara Sethia
Publisher: California State Polytechnic University Pomona

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Lessons of Ahimsā and Anekānta for Contemporary Life
understand how Jainism was more moralistic than Buddhism. Therefore, such comparison fail to provide any meaningful insight into the extent of Jain or Buddhist morality. A good example to compare could have been, for example, the notions of nonviolence and compassion in the two traditions. IV. Misrepresentation
Most problematic for the proper understanding of Jainism and its distinctive contributions to adhyatmavidya is the serious misrepresentations made about Mahavira and his teachings. The following passages not only distort Mahāvīra's sadhana and its significance but also factually misrepresent Mahāvīra.
Mahāvīra, "like the Buddha abandoned his hedonistic life to become a wandering ascetic... He not only went naked, but also advocated and practiced self torture and death by starvation. Though it took him thirteen years from the time he resolved to starve himself to death before he finally succeeded in doing so...” [Wolpert, pp.52-53] After thirteen years, often as a naked ascetic, he attained enlightenment and thereafter taught his doctrine in the kingdom of the Ganges region before succumbing to a ritual of slow starvation near the Magadhan capital of Rajagriha around 400 BCE. [Stein, p. 70]
The thirteen years referred to in both passages above represent the most significant phase in Mahavira's life as a Thirthankara. His sādhana as detailed in the Ācārānga-sútra, during which he frequently fasted, sometimes for a very long period of time, and often without water (total days when he took food during the period of almost thirteen years is said to be 349), practiced austerities (misrepresented as “self-torture”) and renounced all attachment, including the attachment to his body in his single-minded pursuit of his goal and attained kevalaj ñana (inflinite knowledge), becoming omniscient. At the end of this period, Mahavira did not die as the first passage above inform us. Following his omniscience, he lived as a teacher for nearly thirty years, before he became a siddha (liberated soul) after his nirvana
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