Sramana 2016 01

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

Page 95

88 : Śramaņa, Vol 67, No. 1, January-March 2016 of other creatures. As a human being does not want to be injured or killed, in the same way no creature wants to be injured or killed, hence we should protect and preserve the life of every living creature. To Mahāvīra, the practice of ahiņsā was the highest duty of mankind. Though literal meaning of ahimsā (not to injure) is quite clear but it goes for beyond its literal meaning. Non-violence has its own history in India. It is not simply a word but centuries woven together. Nonviolence for Jains has subtler and deeper meaning that what is construed. For Jains, non-violence was an integral part of daily routine. According to Jainism, violence is not simply injuring living being but even intention to kill, to destroy and to hurt amounts to mean violence. Even being intolerant is also a kind of violence. Similarly, talking without listening to what others are saying is also violence.
Jaina Āgamas (canons) preaches to control the violence and preserve the human being and celestial being. The very first lesson of Ācārārga Sūtra, is Sastra-parijñā (the truth about weapons). Here the meaning of Sastra is the equipment or means of violence. Also the means or instrument of violence are called weapons (sastra). A thing capable of destroying another is a weapon for thato. The meaning of Sastra parijñā is- to aquire knowlge of the form and instrument of violence, to understand about its bitter fruits and consequently abandon the same. The ignorance of violence is non-violence. Soul (ātmā) is the base of non-violence (ahiņsā). Non-violence of Six Bodied Jivas: In the metaphysical facbric of Jainism, there are six bodied jīvas viz. Pịthvikāyika (earth bodied), Apakāyika (water bodied), `Agnikāyika (fire bodied), Vanaspatikāyika (plant bodied), Vāyukāya(air bodied ) and traskāyika (mobile bodied). Pșthvikāya or Earth Bodied Jivas: Ācārānga sūtra, maintains that prthvikāya or earth bodied jīvas are dependent on different bodied i.e., they are individual bodied.' Lord Mahāvīra revealing the truth about prthvikāya or earth bodied beings says, 'When a person, for the sake of his life, praise, prestige, worship, birth, death and