Sramana 2016 01

Author(s): Shreeprakash Pandey, Rahulkumar Singh, Omprakash Singh
Publisher: Parshvanath Vidhyashram Varanasi

Page 94

CONCEPT OF NON-VIOLENCE OF SIX BODIED JIVAS IN JAINISM: 87
a. mentally, i.e., by mind, in thought,
b. orally, i.e., by speech and
c. physically, i.e., by body, by action.
Eight Reasons for Violence:
Acārānga sūtra, the earliest among the twelve primary canons of Jains gives eight reasons of violence+:
a. In order to protect his life: Resorting to various types of treatments and medicines prepared through violence for one's health and long life.
b. In order to gain prestige: Accumulating wealth by doing business day and night to gain status.
c. In order to gain success: Making efforts to win competitions like wrestling as sports persons do by participating in various competitions to earn praise, fame and prize.
d. In order to gain respect and veneration: Participating in war, as kings do for territorial's gains.
e. Birth: Indulging in elaborate festivities to celebrate birthday or other such occasions.
f. Death: Indulging in various rites and rituals connected with death.
g. In order to get emancipated: Indulging in religious rituals, like animal sacrifice, to be free from troubles, fear and other miseries.
h. In order to remove miseries: Indulging in various violent experiments on mice, monkeys and other being to find cures for ailments.
Absolute faith in ahimsa or non-violence received the highest place in Jainism. It was maintained that the life of every being is sacred. The smallest of small creature also possessed life, as the human being. It was therefore a supreme sin that man should destroy the life