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Dalsukh Malvania
In this way in India the importance of ahimsa instead of satya (truth) was accepted in religion due to the propagation of the religion rooted in ahimsa. It may be noted here that before the time of Mahavira and the Buddha in Vedic religion the satya was most important.
But after Mahavira and Buddha we find the importance of Satya as as well as of the Ahimsa, recogaised in the Epic literature and the Puraņas. It is quite clear that this is due to the influence of the Jaipa and the Buddist religion,
In view of the theory that the internal passion is the real violence and not the killing of the other living being it was clearly stated by Lord Mabavira that purisa tumam eya tumm-mittam kim bahiyam mittam icchasi ?
(Áca. 1.3.3.4.) tumam si nama tam ceva jan Chantayvam' ti mannasi............tamha na hanta na vi ghāyae
(Aca. 1.5.5.4) “Man, Thou art thy own friend; Why Wishest thou for a friend beyond thy self"
(SBE. Vol. XXII p. 33) “Thou art thy self the person to be killed.........so one should not be the Killer or the murderer"
(Aca. 1.5.5.4)
Now let us see what the commentators and the other prominent Jaina Ācāryas have to say regarding the violence and non-violence.
Acarya Siddhasena has clearly stated that though one kills the living being one does not bave the sin of killing because of his apramada (carfulness).
Same sentiments are found in Oghaniryukti (748, 749) and in Acārya Kundakunda's Prayacanasāra (3.17) when they say that those who are careful (apramatta) to them there is no sin even though the living being is killed.
The most profound discussion of the theory of non-violence is done by Acarya Jinabhadra in his Višeşāvašyakabhāşya (Pub. L.D.S.) :
"One should not fear that because earth, etc. are so crowded with souls, there would be himsa (injury) at every step whether one wills it or not. It has been pointed out earlier that what is struck by a weapon is not possessed of a soul. There will not be injury simply because the world is crowded with souls. It is the intention that ultimately matters.
8. Siddhasena : Dvatrimsika 3.16.
