Positive Non Violence

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

Page 69

or punya. This punya tattva is the indicator of spiritual purity. According to the principle, as the spirit becomes purer and purer its sensory, bodily powers and vitality increase proportionally. This itself is said to be the influx and incurring of punya. The punya-influx takes place when the wickedness and impurity are removed from the inner self.21 Meaning that it takes place through purification of consciousness.22 The influx of meritorious karmic configurations gives rise to proportionate quantity and potency of various kinds of punya types.
Again, according to the principle that karmic influx and bondage either of the sinful type or of the meritorious type cannot be said to be dharma, it must be understood that it is the punya tattva which is dharma, and not punya-āśrava and punya-bandha. However, though punya is a form of karma, it does not hinder spiritual emancipation and enlightenment. Therefore, as per the doctrine of karma, all the types of meritorious karmic configurations have been considered as nondestructive (aghātiyā karma) types. These have not even been considered as partially destructive types of karma. This means that meritorious karma types do not even partially destroy any of the spiritual qualities of a soul. On the contrary, the meritorious karma types automatically result in transformation and destruction of sinful karma types. Thus, meritorious karma types do not hinder but help the emancipation and eventual liberation of the spirit. It is true that liberation is gained only when complete destruction and separation of both the sinful and meritorious karma types is achieved, but it is only in the destruction and separation of the sinful karma types that an effort is required to be made, no religious practice or effort is required for the separation of the meritorious karma types. Their durational bondage is automatically destroyed and separated along with the destruction and separation of the sinful karma types. It is for this reason that in all the Jaina scriptures there is no provision for any practice or effort or endeavour for the destruction and renunciation of punya karma. What is meant, here, is that positive non-violence in the form of mercy,
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Positive Non-Violence