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THE PRACTICAL PATH.
therefore, required to practise ahimsa in respect of class F. The muni is, however, able to avoid injuring others in all cases falling under classes D., E. and F., and also, to a great extent, under class C. The kevali who has conquerred the twenty two forms of parişaha (see page 57 ante) does not cause any kind of himsá, and the same is the case with the siddha who has no material impurities left in his soul.
Thus, the practical observance of the principle of ahimsa varies with the circumstances of each soul, so that the least advanced begin with the renunciation of wanton cruelty, and gradually train themselves to observe the stricter vows of a muni. As personal wants and desires become limited to bare food, once a day or so, the practising of the higher forms of ahimså is not felt to be irksome or difficult; and, finally, when the powers of the soul are developed to perfection and complete mastery over the lower nature is obtained, resulting in the mani. festation of those subtle and powerful forces which enable the kevali to defy all kinds of adverse influenceshunger, thirst, sickness, old age, death and the like-the observance of absolute ahimsa becomes perfectly easy
and natural.
As Mr. Warren points out (see " Jainism' by H. Warren), if we study the state of the mind of a person engaged in the act of killing, we shall notice that he is not only indifferent to the suffering and pain he is causing to his victim for his own selfish ends--sometimes he actually delights in it--but has also no idea of the subtle forces engendered by such an act in his own system. His three characteristics, therefore, are
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