Non Violence A Way Of Life

Author(s): Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: Jaibhikkhu Sahitya Trust

Page 22

The first great vows is ahimsa (non-violence). Bhagwan Mahavir said, "If you kill someone, it is yourself to kill. If you dominate someone, it is yourself you dominate. If you torment someone, it is yourself you torment. If you harm someone, it is yourself you harm." A wise man knows this and so he does not kill, dominate, or torment anyone. Ahimsa is the basis of the Jain Religion. Other religions have adopted ahimsa but they have not given it the importance that the jain religion has given. Other religions have not examined ahimsa so subtly as the jain religion has done.
The concept of ahimsa has emerged from logical thinking and experience. The concept of ahimsa has emerged from the doctrine of the equality of all souls. Everyone wants to live; nobody likes to die. Everyone wants happiness; nobody wants unhappiness. The very thought of doing harm produces Karma. So, according to Jain philosophy, himsa and ahimsa depend upon the doer's thoughts. Where there is pramada (neglectful idleness or sloth) there is always himsa. Untruthful speech and deeds are himsa. To give someone a shock or to be corrupt is also himsa. It is from ahimsa that truth, non-stealing, celibacy and possessionlessness emerge. Himsa enters first in thought, then in speech and then in deeds. That is why they say that war is born in the hearts of men. The quest for ahimsa is echoed in anekantavada.
In Jain philosophy ahimsa is said to be the supreme religion and himsa is considered to be the source of all evil and of all miseries. Mahavir's ahimsa is not limited to humankind, in extends to all living beings. It believes in unity of life and regards all living beings to be equal. He who can be cruel to animals can be cruel to human beings. Cruelty is not only an aspect of external behaviour but it is also an inner evil tendency. He who is cruel at heart will behave cruelly with animals as well as human beings. He who is compassionate at heart, will behave compassionately with all. Moreover, the Jain religion believes in the cycle of birth and rebirth. The soul is in one yoni (existence) today; it may be in another yoni tomorrow. It may be a fly today and a man tomorrow. This being so, man has no right to harm non-human living beings even. One should behave sympathetically with all-friends as well as enemies. Such is the importance of ahimsa in Jain philosophy.
तुंगं न मंदराओ, आगासाओ किसालयं नत्थि ।
जह तह जयंमि जाणसु, घम्ममहिंसासमं नत्थि।। (Nothing is higher than the Meru Mountain; nothing is vaster than the sky. Similarly, there is no religion as good as ahimsa.)
Another great vow is truth. I will not practise untruth, I will not make someone practise untruth and I will not help someone practising untruth. It is
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