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14
Joharimal Parekh
Jainism, we will now proceed to see what activities have been prescribed by Jaina religion. The Jaina religious code of conduct can be grouped under three broad heads, viz., Ahimsā, Saṁyama and Tapa 25
Ahiṁsā group includes in its fold, partness and fellow travellers like truth, nonusurpance etc. The Ahimsā is the most important aspect of Jaina religion and unfortunately in the absence of its proper understanding, the charge of negativism is levelled against Jainism by modern thinkers. In fact Ahiṁsā is purely an active phenomena. It should be very clearly understood that question of violence or nonviolence arises only when one is indulged in activity and otherwise. Ahiṁsā is a rule of Dharmaśāstra and "Ahimsā paramo dharman" obviously stipulates a rule of action. If you are not doing anything and standing still qua all the three agents body, mind and speech, then you are neither violent nor non-violent; but when you walk, you shall walk in such a manner that ants and other insects on the way are not hurt and that is Ahirsā in practice. If you do not fight, no question of violence crops up, but when you do so, the question does arise and we all know that Mahatma Gandhi fought for Indian freedom in a non-violent manner. So also is the crews of Gitā asking Arjuna in its own way to fight in such a manner that no new bondage is caused.
On account of ego if you think I will not fight' vain is your this resolve, your Karma) Prakrti will compell you to fight. On account of delusion what you are unwilling to do will be done by you due to the nature of your Karma bondage 26 Similarly if you do not speak and keep mum, the question to truth or falsehood does not come in the picture. It is only when you speak, you shall speak the truth is the commandment. So also if one is doing no business or dealings, question of corruption, dishonesty etc. remain absent, but when you happen to hold an active public post then an occasion arises to show that you are honest and have neither exploited the situation nor committed theft nor taken a bribe. Thus examples can be multiplied to prove that Ahimsā is not a religion of negation. In Sūtrakstānga (1.2/14) and in Praśnavyākarana also Ahimsā as a positive proposition has been prescribed. Avoiding activity lest there may be killing, may fall in Saṁyama but that is not Ahimsā. On the other hand when you act either by body, mind or speech with Samiti and in such a manner that no or little bondage is caused, then only you are said to have followed the rule of Ahiṁsā.
In Jainism five Samitis and three 'guptis' have been prescribed for promotion of religious activities and complete renouncement of bad activities.27 A recent
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