Positive Non Violence

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

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Along with proscription of violence, a positive facet of nonviolence has also been revealed in the Jina canonical works. Although we do not find the mention of positive non-violence in the agamic literature, even then its positive aspect clearly stands out in the mentions of mercy, kindness, compassion, affection, friendship, charity, etc. Many a present day scholars and commentators have started ignoring this positive aspect of non-violence and have been emphasising and limiting themselves to its proscriptive form of not committing violence only, which is an incomplete proposition of non-violence. The use of positive non-violence is the need of the day to clearly bring out the emotional and positive or prescriptive form of non-violence contained in the canonical works of both Svetambara and Digambara pursuits. This term (positive non-violence) depicts the positive and prescriptive form of non-violence.
In the canonical literature, various terms such as mercy, kindness, compassion, service, charity, friendship, affection, etc., have been used signifying positive non-violence. In the primary canonical text entitled 'Praśna Vyakarana' we find sixty synonyms for the term ahimsa or non-violence, most of which represent the positive forms of nonviolence. Of these two words - 'mercy' and 'protection', which imply non-violent co-operation towards all the living beings, are very significant. Other words such as non-action (nirvṛtti), reconciliation (samādhi), peace (śānti), love-liking (prīti-ra), satisfaction (trpti), forbearance (kṣānti), patience (dhṛti), purity (viśuddhi), welfare (kalyāṇa), joy (pramod), beneficence (mangal), etc., also point at its positive form only. In the Jaina lore dharma has been described as rooted in mercy. Charity has been described as one of the forms of dharma. Compassion has been depicted as one of the indicators of righteousness. Affection has been given a pride of place amongst parts of righteousness. Friendship towards all the living beings has been depicted as a means of spiritual purification and fearlessness.' Respectful and selfless service (vaiyāvṛtya) has been said to be a means of karmic separation10 and of earning the merit to be a Tirthankara in a
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Positive Non-Violence