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290
Pratikraman
[15] On The Path of Cause Ahimsa
The Final Pratikraman Questioner: On the path of liberation, before final enlightenment, if there is a pending account with someone, does repeated pratikraman clear off the account? Dadashri: Yes.
(273) Questioner: Even with the living beings we do not know?
Dadashri: Only those whom we have met and have created accounts with; no one else.
Questioner: But what words do we say when doing pratikraman?
Dadashri: Say, 'Whatever living beings that I have hurt in any way, please forgive me.'
Questioner: Each and every living being? Dadashri: Yes, to each and every living being.
Questioner: Does it include living beings like the ones present in air (vayukaya), water (jalkaya) and fire (tejokaya)? Dadashri: It includes everything that you mentioned.
Intent of Not Hurting Anyone
Questioner: What should I do if I hurt any living being Giva) unknowingly?
Dadashri: When himsa (violence) occurs unknowingly
(ajaanta), you should feel repentance immediately, and that it should not be so. You should repent for it and do pratyakhyan. Keep the awareness that it does not occur again. This should be Your goal. The Lord had told us to be firm and resolute in our intent (bhaav) not to hurt any living thing. Every morning when you begin your day, you should repeat this five times: 'I do not wish to hurt any living being through this mind, speech and body.' Start your day by affirming this intent. This will decrease the liability. This is because the intent is under your control. The rest is not. Do Mistakes Made Unknowingly Bind Demerit
Karma? All the positive and negative inner intents that arise within is the result of seeds sown in the past. You do not desire to hurt any living being and yet if a bug gets crushed under your foot, realize that such was the seed sown in the past. Maintain awareness there and do pratikraman.
How do you know what kind of enmity the bug you crushed will bind? How great an enmity will the one that is unknowingly killed bind? It is because that bug has a wife and children, and relatives, does it not? They will think that you crushed it: you murdered it knowingly. You may feel that you did it unknowingly, but they think that their loved one was murdered. It, too, has a worldly life, does it not? It has a worldly life wherever it goes, does it not?
Questioner: Do we still commit a sin if we hurt someone unknowingly?
Dadashri: What will occur if you accidentally put your hand in a fire?
Questioner: My hand would get burned. Dadashri: Would a child not get burned too? Questioner: Yes, he would.
