Spiritual Awakening and other Essays

Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 52

commences with the appearance of passions on the ground of self.
The Ācārānga gives us spiritual argument to renounce Hiṁsā.
Spiritual Argument against Hiṁsā : Since all the selves are transcendentally alike, killing the other is killing one's own self, ruling the other is ruling one's own self, enslaving the other is enslaving one's own self, distressing the other is distressing one's own self, and disquieting the other is disquieting one's own self. By reason of this Hiṁsā of all the living beings has been abandoned by those desirous of self-realisation (TH PHA a da o coa fa Hufh, TH A णाम तं चेव जं अज्जावेतव् ति मण्णसि, तुमं सि णाम तं चेव जं परितावेततळ ति मण्णसि, तुमं सि णाम तं चंव जं परिघेतलं ति मण्णसि, एवं तं चेव जं Bedco fà Houif. 1)25.
Dissemination of the doctrine of Aparigraha26 : Mahāvīra was well aware of the fact that economic inequality and the hoarding of essential commodities very much disturb social life and living. These acts lead to the exploitation and enslavement of man. Owing to this, life in society is endangered. Consequently, Mahāvīra pronounced that the remedy for the ill of economic inequality is Aparigraha. The method of Aparigraha tells us that one should keep with one self that which is necessary for one's living and the rest should be returned to society for its well-being. Limit of wealth and essential commodities are indispensable for the development of healthy social life. In a way wealth is the basis of our social structure and if its flow is obstructed because of its accumulation in few hands, large segments of society will remain undeveloped. The hoarding of essential commodities creates a situation of social scarcity which perils social life. In order to resist such inhuman tendency, Mahāvīra
Spiritual Awakening (Samyagdarśana) and Other Essays
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