Right and the Good in Jaina Ethics

Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: ZZZ Unknown

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'good in itself ' are universally true. In both these kinds of good, the criterion of good as Ahiṁsā is to be adhered to. I may say in passing that the principle that the end justifies the means' need not be rejected as immoral if the above definition of good is accepted. For our present purpose. the good means good in itself or the things which are intrinsically good.
Now the answer to the question, what is the good, i.e. what kinds of things are intrinsically good according to the Jinist, is as follows:
1. The first thing which is the good for the Jinist is the Ahimsā of all living beings20. The Jinist classifies living beings (Jīvas) into five kinds, one-sensed to five-sensed Jivas. The Jinist uses this classification as the measurement of the degree of Ahiṁsā. The classification of Jīvas is in the ascending order of the importance of Jīvas owing to the fact of having evolved consciousness known from the number of senses manifested. As for example two-sensed Jīvas are more evolved than the one-sensed Jīvas, five-sensed Jīvas are more evolved than the one, two, three, and four-sensed Jīvas. Thus Ahiṁsā will be directly proportionate to the Ahimsā of the Jīvas classified. The good ‘Ahiṁsā of all living beings' means the Ahimsā of these living beings. Though this measurement of Ahiṁsā emphasizes the number of senses for calculating Ahimsā, yet in certain situatations Ahiṁsā can not always be commensurate with the number of senses affected.
The Puruşārthasiddhyupāya seems to be aware of this fact. Therefore, it says, though Himsā may be committed by one yet there may be many who will have to suffer the consequences; it may be commited by many, the consequences may be suffered by one. Besides, in spite of the two persons following the same course of Himsā, divergence at the time of fruition may be exhibited on account of the differences in their states of mind. Moreover, he who does not explicitly commit Hiṁsā, may also reap the fruits of Himsā because of his continual inclination towards indulging in Hissa; and he who apparently employs himself in the acts of Hissā may not be liable to the fruits of Hiṁsā. Thus we may conclude that in judging the acts of Hiṁsā and Ahimsā, it is the internal state of
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