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The Jain Pratikraman Sutra prescribing the ritual of Pratikraman for seeking forgiveness from all living beings very vividly illustrates the depth of the Jain philosophy of Ahimsa : "While walking, I may have pained living beings; while coming and going, I may have crushed living beings such as live animate seeds, green grass and plants; I may have crushed beings living in the dew, in the anthills, in the living moss and in water particles; the live earth, web of spiders, I may have harassed or crushed; Whomsoever may have been crushed, tormented or hurt by me : beings with only one sense, the sense of touch ( such as earth, water, fire, air and plant life); beings with only the two senses of touch and taste (like worms and shell creatures); beings with only the three senses of touch, taste and smell (like ants); beings with the four senses of touch, taste, smell and sight (such as bees and other insects); beings with all five senses of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing like fish, mammals, animals of all kinds and human beings; Whomsoever may have been caused to collide accidentally with one another, whomsoever may have been tormented, whomsoever may have been caused pain, to whomsoever I may have given agony; whomsoever I may have frightened; whomsoever I may have shifted causing hurt from one place to another; whomsoever I may have separated from life and made lifeless; May all of you who suffered because of me forgive ine. May the ignorance in me that caused pain to other beongs cease and be brought to an end; May all be forgiven and forgotten.” Ahimsa is the top most vrata (oath) among the five Mahavratas for the ascetics and the five Anuvratas for the lay persons. Ascetics have to follow most rigorously the discipline of avoiding even the minutest kind of dravya himsa in the manner of living, traveling, eating and talking and communicating and conducting their other activities. In their case Bhav-himsa avoidance is also of strictest standards and parameters.
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A Portrait of Jain Religion
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