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living being like a fly or a mosquito, etc., is infinite times that of killing a three sensed one; the sin of killing a five sensed living being like an animal or a bird or a fish, or a human being is infinite times that of killing a four sensed one. Thus, it is a grave error to believe that the sin of killing all types of living beings is equal.
Similarly, the merit earned in protecting or saving or serving a creature of higher order is infinite times that of doing the same thing for a creature of the lower order. Higher the order of life saved, greater would be the merit earned. Thus, to save a five sensed living beings like animals, birds, fishes and humans by giving them food etc., and to serve them is an infinitely meritorious activity. To believe otherwise is absolute falsehood.
What is meant is that killing or tormenting a developed living being is infinitely more sinful as compared to killing or tormenting those with lesser vital powers or sensitivity and to save, protect and serve them is infinitely meritorious and spiritually uplifting.
7. Objection - When one living being kills or torments another, to save the one being killed or tormented would amount to interrupting the pleasure of the killer or tormentor and thus to hurt its feelings, which is violence and sinful.
Answer A careful reflection on this issue would reveal that violence is not in giving pain or hurt to another creature but in the volitional disposition behind it. This would be clear by an example. A surgeon cuts open the belly of a patient with a knife in order to operate upon it. He may inflict pain on the patient and the patient may even die in the process, but the doctor is neither considered violent and nor a killer for his act. He incurs no sin but only the merit of trying to save a patient. On the other hand a robber may also plunge a knife in the belly of a victim and he may not even die in the process but his act is considered highly violent and sinful. If the victim dies the robber is considered a killer. Here, in these two cases the physical act of plunging the knife in the belly is similar. The difference lies in the volitional
Positive Non-Violence
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