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Jaina Theory and Practice of Non-Violence
From the real point of view, a man does not become a ‘killer' only because he has killed or because the world is crowed with souls, or remain innocent only because he has not killed physically, or because souls are sparse. Even if a person does not actually kill, he becomes a killer if he has the intention to kill; while a doctor has to cause pain, but is still noninjurious, innocent, because his intention is pure. A wise man equipped with the five samitis and the three guptis and practising restraint thereby, is non-injurious; bot one who is of just the opposite type, Such a man of restraint is not regarded as injurious irrespective of whether he kills or hurts or does not; for it is the intention that is the deciding factor, not the external act which is inconclusive. From the real point of view it is the evil intention that is himsā (injury) whether it materialises into an evil act of injuring or not. There can be con-injury even when the external act of injury has been committed and injury even when it has not been committed. (2217-2222).
Does this mean that the external act of killing is never injury ? Much depends on the evil intention. That external act of killing which is the cause of an evil effect, or is caused by evil intention is himsa (injury). But that which is not caused by evil intentions or does not result in an evil effect is not himsa in the case of the above-mentioned wise man. For example, sounds, etc, do not rouse the passions of a man free from attraction and infactuation because his mind or intention is pure, unde. filed. A good man does not have infatuation for his mother however beautiful she may be; similarly, the external act of injury is not himsa in the case of a man of a pure mind. Thus that the world is crowded with souls does not mean that there is himsa at every step.
In order to inculcate this theory into practice the Jaina Acaryas developed the theory of Karma and produced the story literature to show the results of virtuous and sinful life. And we can observes the penetration of this Karma-theory in the life of the mass of India. Even in Jain Canonical literature we find that as a result of the participation in war many persons are said to be born in hell and such other lower places.
(Bhagavati. 7.9.300).
The theory that those who participate in the war are born in heaven is also repudiated in the canon. One can be born in heaven, only if he has regrets for participation in the war and becomes a monk 10 bis last days, otherwise the hell is destined for such person. This is illustrated by the account of the life of one named Varuna of Vaisali.
(Bhagavatı 7.9.303).
