Notes on Modern Jainism

Author(s): Mrs Sinclair Stevenson
Publisher: Oxford

Page 43

JAINA ASCETICS.
31
Brahmanic vows on which they are doubtless both founded.*
The first vow the Jaina ascetic takes is to refrain from destroying life, and runs as follows:-“ I renounce all kill
ing of living beings, whether subtile or 1. Ahimsa Vrata
gross, whether movable or immovable. AT HI .
Nor shall I myself kill living beings (nor cause others to do it, nor consent to it). As long as I live, I confess and blame, repent and exempt myself of these sins, in the thrice threefold way, in mind, speech and body." +
This ( which is also the first vow taken by the Brahman and Buddhist ascetics ) the Jaina sect divide into nine, and so make it cover an immense field. They are not to kill in word, thought or deed; they are not to cause any one to kill in word, thought or deed; they are not to support any one who kills in word, thought or deed. This vow, on which the Jaina lay the greatest stress, they regularly break. They are most careful not to destroy life themselves, but are quite willing to “consent" to others doing it and to reap the benefit. An ascetic for instance inay not take water that has not been boiled, lest it contain life, neither may he boil it ; but by taking water that another has boiled he certainly "consents” to their action in boiling it. It has been suggested that the real reason for the vow was not so much unselfish kindness to animals as the selfish fear of being haunted by the spirit of the dead.
. For the comparison of Jainism with Buddhism generally see
Jacobi's Introduction to the Jaina Sutras, S. B. E. xxii. pp. xix ff. + Acărānga Sutra. S. B. E. Vol. xxii. p. 202.
Cp. Bombay Gazetteer. Vol. ix. Part i. p. 99.