Positive Non Violence

Author(s): Kanhaiyalal Lodha, Dalpatsingh Baya
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

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form that makes it a conduit for non-violence and liberation rather than violence and bondage. Only dutiful activities that are undertaken with a benevolent view can be such activities that can transform our bonding activities to liberating ones.
It is for this reason that the terms like īryāpathik kriyā (non-sticking activity) and īryāpathik bandh (non-sticking karmic bondage) came into being in the Jaina tradition. They may be said to be activities and bondages externally, but actually they do not signify bondage but liberation. All the universally beneficial activities of the Tirthankaras (Lords Prophet ford makers) are considered to be iryāpathik kriyā (nonsticking activities) and īryāpathik bandh (non-sticking karmic bondages). They bond with their souls in the first samaya (instant), are felt in the second and are separated in the third samaya. Thus, the karmic influx and bondages due to the activities of a detached soul do not stay even for a kṣaṇa (moment). The Uttaradhyayana sūtra (25.42) says that just as a wet ball of mud when thrown to a wall sticks there but a dry ball of mud does not so stick but immediately falls to the ground, the activities performed with a sense of detachment and duty also do not result in sticky bondages. The karmic influx that takes place as a result of such detached and dutiful activities merely touches the soul and does not stick to it. The main causes of bondage are attachment and aversion and the passionate activities performed under their influence. Therefore, the activities that are desirelessly undertaken with a view to be universally beneficial and to mitigate others' troubles, to serve others, and to be benevolent do not result in sticky karmic bondages and those who see the possibilities of karmic bondages in positive non-violence certainly are devoid of proper thinking. The Tirthankara Way of Life and Positive Non-violence
In Jaina tradition the Tirthankaras rank the highest. In both - Śvetambara and Digambara - sectarian traditions of Jainism the activities that are considered as main causes for earning the merit necessary to be reborn, at some stage in the worldly cycle of transmigration, as a Tīrthankara are the activities involving service to
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