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The Concept of Non-Violence in Jainism
Atm'aupamyena samam paśyati. (Gitä, vi.29,32) Our classical commentators have rightly brought out the implication of this. By analogy with oneself (ätmaupamya) when one realizes that what is good or bad for oneself must be so for others, one would always do only what is good for others. He would be engaged in the welfare of all beings (Sarvabhutahita), hating none, and with friendliness and compassion for all.
Non-violence is nothing but to treat all living being as equal. The concept of equality is the core of the theory of non-violence. The observance of non-violence is to honour each and every form of life. According to Jaina point of view, all the beings have equal right to lead a peaceful life. Though violence is unavoidable yet it can not be the directive principle of our living, because it goes against the judgements of our faculty of reasoning. If I think that nobody has any right to take my life on the same ground, I have also no right to take another's life. The principle, 'live on others' or 'living by killing' is self-contradictory. The principle of equality propounds that every one has the right to live. The directive principle of living is not 'Living on others' or 'Living by killing' but 'Living with others', or Live for others (Parasparopagrahojivanām)," Though in our worldly life complete non-violence is not possible yet our motto should be 'Lesser violence is better Living'. It is not the struggle but co-operation is the law of life. I need other's co-operation for my very existence and so I should also co-operate in other's living.
The meaning of Non-violence
The term non-violence (Ahimsa) has various connotations. Generally it means not to kill, slain or hurt any living being. Ahimsa means abstention or refraining from himsā. Himsä means violence, injury, harm, deprivation, mutilation, disfigurement and causing pain and suffering to others. In Tattvärthasūtra the term violence is defined as to hurt the vitalities of a living being through the operation of intense passion infected activity of mind, body and speech. This definition of himsă covers two aspects external and internal. In Jainism, violence is considered of two types -- Dravyahimsa and Bhāvahimsā.22 The act of harming or hurting is Dravyahimsa i.e. external violence and the intention to hurt or to kill is Bhāvahimsā i.e. internal violence. There is a causal relation between Dravyahimsa and Bhavahimsa. Generally, Dravyahimsa caused by entertaining impure or passionate thought activities such as anger, pride, deceit, greed, sorrow, fear,
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sex-desire etc. An outer act of hurting others vitalities if proeceded by impure thought activity i.e, ill-will then it really becomes an act of violence. On the basis of dravya and bhava himsä we have four alternatives of violence (1) both intention and act of killing (2) only there is an intention of killing, not the act of killing. (3) act of killing minus intention of killing and (4) neither the act of killing and nor the will,23 though apparently it seems an act of hurting.
In Jainism, violence not only involves the killing or causing harms to other beings but it is also related to our ownself. To hurt the vitalities of other beings is called parahimsa, i.e. violence of others while to entertain impure thought activity or ill-will is the violence towards our ownself. Impure thought activity or ill-will injures the real nature of this soul by disturbing its equanimity. The evil thought activity vitiates the purity and equanimity of the soul hence called sva-himsa i.e. violence of our ownself. This violence of our ownself is more than the violence of others, because the later may only be possible when former had taken place. Generally, we cannot kill or cause harm to others without impure thought activity or ill-will i.e. the violence towards others implies the violence of our ownself. Bhaktaparijñā mentions "killing of other beings is killing one's ownself and compassion for others is the compassion for one's ownself." Thus, will is the mother of activity. Illwill causes sinful activity. The violence towards others can only be committed after committing violence towards one's ownself. Acaranga says, "he who ignores or negates other beings, ignores or negates one's ownself. He whom you wish to kill or control or on whom you wish to inflict suffering is yourself."24 We can not kill or harm other without killing our ownselfie. without vitiating our equanimity, the real nature of ourself. It is the attachment and hatred which make violence possible. In the state of equanimity i.e. non-attachment and non-hatred commission of violence is an impossibility. Thus, passions necessarily lead to the violence of our ownself as well as to otherselves. Acarya Amṛtacandra in his famous work Purūṣārthasiddhyupaya mentions "The absence of attachment and other passions is non-violence, while presence of these is violence. This is the essence of Jaina scriptures. There will be no violence even if vitalities are injured when a person is not moved by any kind of passions and is careful in his activity. But if one acts carelessly moved by the influence of passions, there is certainly a violence whether a living being is killed or not. Because a passionate person first
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