Models of Conflict Resolution and Peace in Jain Tradition

Author(s): Nalini Joshi
Publisher: ZZ_Anusandhan

Page 4

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313HEN 40 (?)
A : The Model of Suitable Languages.
The capacity of Jainas to adopt various languages is unparallel. This multilingual attitude is handed down to them by Lord Mahāvira and further prominent Jain Ācāryas. Mahāvīra delivered his preaching in Ardhamāgadhi. Further Jain Ācāryas used Sauraseni and Mahāraştri. Nearly ten centuries after Mahāvīra, Jain Ācāryas stuck to the regional languages viz. Prakrits. From the fifth century A.D. and onwards we see that Jain authors were interacting with others as intellectuals in terms of pan. Indian scholarly genre of Šāstra. Jainas transformed their tradition into a school of learning by presenting their writings in the pan. Indian scholarly language of Sanskrit. But Jaina authors re-defined Sanskrit treating it not as a sacred institution but a natural phenomenon. Jainas, such as Hemcandra wrote their own Sanskrit grammars to replace Brahmanical system canonized by Panini and Patañjali. Side by side, the Jain authors continued their writings in Mahārastri and various Apabhransas, up till 15th and 16th Century A.D. Even today, the Sādhus and Sādhvis can address people in three or four languages very comfortably. This inherited model of acquiring suitable languages is proved to be beneficial even to the laity, which mostly owe to merchant class. B : The Model of Choosing Less Harmful.
Though Jainism gives utmost importance to nonviolence, Jain thinkers are aware of the fact that for a normal person, it is impossible to avoid violence completely in his daily routine activities. The whole animate world is divided into five groups according to the possession of sense organs.? When Jainas choose vegetarian diet and avoid meat, the model of accepting less harmful is exercised. Vegetable-bodied and water-bodied beings possess only one sense-organ. All other animates like shells, worms, insect, fish, serpents and four-legged animals possess two to five sense-organs. Among vegetables also the roots like potato, sweet potato etc. having Sādhāraṇa Śarira' are avoided. It is advised that as far as possible the fruits containing