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NOVEMBER 2016
PRABUDDH JEEVAN
The spiritual perspective is based on the principle
products) of 'Reverence for life'. All life is the same and all life
Abstinence from drinking wine forms are connected to each other. Man is not the
Abstinence from eating honey creator of the web; he is just a strand in the web of life. • Abstinence from unchecked indulgence in Each one has the right to survive. Harming one life
violence, falsehood, theft, unlawful sexual form leads ultimately to the harm towards the self. relationship, acquisition of material Whatever happens at one level will soon affect the other
possessions (five smaller vows). levels as well. The spiritual perspective is the spirit of Mulaguna may also include eating the fruits of supporting the co-existence of other life forms. Through certain trees like Banyan, Pippal and Fig, the five the spiritual perspective there is a possibility of Right Udambaras. conduct.
Also forbidden for the Shravaka are: The ethical perspective of the
• Vegetables with multiple seeds practice of vegetarianism:
• Old pickles For the practice of vegetarianism, asking the • Mixing of curd and pulses questions like: Do humans have the right to destroy
Curd which is older than two days the other life forms for the selfish motives? Is it right
Cooked Food kept overnight that the animals are used and enjoyed by human
Stinking food beings? Don't the animals feel the pain when they are Abstinence from Saptavyasana slaughtered? The ethics of right and wrong action, the • Meat ethics of rights of survival of other life forms help one
Wine understand the concept of vegetarianism in a much
Gambling deeper way.
• Theft The positive steps taken to protect animals:
Prostitutiona The practice of vegetarianism has brought about
Adultery another beautiful aspect of compassion towards animal
Sport or Hunt by Jain community. There are many positive steps Acarangasutra: taken to prevent violence to animals by Jain community. The one who kills or harms the other living beings The practice of Jivadaya, Jivaraksha, building of animal becomes the weapon of killing for the living being which shelters, the humane treatment towards the animals is killed or harmed. by Jain community is a very special contribution of Man's relationship to Man for the World Peace Jainism to the world.
When the mental violence is converted to physical Carefulness in all the activities and reverence for violence, it not only harms the self but also others. life is the practice that is followed by every Jain. The Selfish activities, jealousy, greed and lack of outcome of the non-violent behaviour is the spiritual consideration for others may give one pleasure but ecology where every organism in the environment is ultimately cause misery. If humans can expand their taken care of.
circle and include every other human being in it with Shravakachara:
compassion, the world will definitely be a good place Shravakachar is not only Vegetarianism but also to live in. When each one behaves in right manner, going beyond it. It is the application of the rationality in there will be peace in the world. practical life. A must for a Shravaka as there is a Acarya Tulsi had said: possibility of less violent life by the practice of "Not only we must condemn all research in atomic Shravakachar. There are some other restrictions that weaponry, which itself is violence, but we must the sharavaka can follow in order to live the life of experiment with Ahimsa, training people who will minimum violence.
practice Ahimsa. We have established institutions Eight Primary Qualities of Shravaka are Ashta Mula where students are actively studying peace. And while Guna and abstinence from Saptavyasana help to the west is busy experimenting with violence, we are prepare the Shravaka to pursue higher spiritual goal experimenting with nonviolence. This is our belief. This by minimizing the violence on his/her part.
is our message for the west, for the whole world." Asta Mula Guna are:
Mahatma Gandhi was greatly influenced by Jaina Abstinence from taking meat (including fish, principles on nonviolence & whatever he achieved in and other animal products except milk and milk social & political spheres is well known to all. Today
