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FUNDAMENTALS OF THE JAINA CODE OF CONDUCT
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reforms, changes in ethical code and moral conduct and reformulation of the political ideologies will not be possible. Their idea of the society will remain uniform and conservative throughout. Opposed to this, the theory of change or modification in the fields of individual, social, and political life and also in the fields of economics will have a place only if the soul is believed to be undergoing changes phenomenally while remaining the same essentially.
Constitution of the Jaina Ethical Code According to Anekānta
When the Jainas accepted the metaphysical doctrine of Anekāntavāda, it accepted at the same time the scope for change in every field of a man's life. The result that followed was this that it became renowned automatically as a progressive religion when it was at its zenith. Jainism was practically and theoretically against the beliefs such as those of the Vaidikas, namely, the narrow caste-distinctions, class-divisions, the concept of the high and the low, untouchability, woman's inequality etc. etc. and this was in consonance with its metaphysics. Unluckily, this potentiality of Jainism went on decreasing with the passage of time due to the Vedic impact. It cannot be said that the Jaina society at present has a separate existence quite distinct from the Vedic one from the progressive or the revolutionary points of view. It is a fact that Jaina society, like the Vedic one, does not entertain practices according to its principles today just as it also is a fact that its progressive and revolutionary attitude formerly was moulded by its metaphysical doctrine of Anekānta. In other words, the problem of the whole of India in the context of its current condition is to shape discipline, character and conduct after its theoretical pattern. It is entirely possible that the society as a whole will rise to a peak of perfection if both the Vaidikas and the Jainas adopt practices according to their respective principles. Commandment is Religion : Theory and Practice
A commandment 311919 19 is a statement on which an emphasis is placed in the matter of Jaina ethical code. It means that the Jaina religion is constituted of the commandments uttered from time to time by Mahāvīra. From this it appears, though apparently that the Vedic injunctions and Jaina's also are unchallengeable being commandments but, really speaking, there is some distinction and it is this very distinction that divided the original structures of the Vedic and Jaina ethical codes.
In framing the ethical code of the Buddhists some event was necessary to • be the reason for making a rule. It is clear from the Vinaya Pitaka that the code
went on developing as the events arose and as a way out was to be found. But
this is not meant to say that no basic principle of morality was at the back of the Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only
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