Pearls of Jaina Wisdom

Author(s): Dulichand Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 21

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The Uttarādhyayana also echoes the same : jaganissiehiṁ bhūehiṁ tasanāmehim thāvarehis ca. no tesim ārabhe damdam maņasā vayasā kāyasă ceva.
— VIII. 10 "In thoughts, words and acts he should do nothing injurious to beings who people the world, whether they move or not.”
na hu pāņavaham aṇujāne muccejja kayāi savva-dukkhānam. evāriehim akkhāyaḥ jehim imo sāhudhammo pannatto.
- VIII. 8
“One should not permit the killing of living beings; then he will perhaps be delivered from all misery; thus have spoken the preceptors who have proclaimed the Law of ascetics.”
In the Sūtrakrtānga-sūtra ( 1.11.9 ) the emphasis is again given on non-killing of the animals :
savvāhim anujuttihim matimam paờilehiyā. savve akkanta-dukkhã ya ao savve no himsayā.
“A wise man should study them with all means of philosophical research. All beings hate pains; therefore one should not kill them.”
From the above passages of ahiṁsā we must not get this idea that Mahāvīra has asked the people to renounce the world, because without injury it is difficult to live in this world. If we think so, then it will be a great mistake. In all his teachings he wants to emphasize that we must not be goaded by the passions and impulses of hiṁsā. But, to all intents and purposes, we must control our mind to allow us to grow stronger mentally, so that our life can become serene, pure and holy. This does not mean that we should not enjoy life to its fullest extent, but that enjoyment should not be of a beastly type, but of a divine nature. It must not trans
gress the purity and serenity of life and of dharma. It should be