________________
202
He looks at the enemy as a friend. Gandhiji said that a mouse hardly forgives a cat when it allows itself to be torn to pieces by her. 84 He said non-violence is the law of our species, while violence is the law of the brute.
Study of Jainism
Non-violence is not mere non-injury in the negative sense. It has also a positive content. It implies the presence of cultivated and noble sentiments, like kindness and compassion for all living creatures. It also implies self-sacrifice. The Buddha renounced the pleasures of the world out of compassion for all living creatures. Jesus was filled with compassion when he said "whoever shall smite these in the right cheek, turn to him the other also".35 He demanded self-sacrifice. In the Yasastilaka, Somadeva enumerates qualities that should be cultivated to realise the ideal of Ahimsa. The qualities are i) maitri, a disposition not to cause any suffering to any living in mind, body and speech, ii) pramoda, affection coupled with respect for men eminent for their virtues and religious austerities, iii) kāruṇya will to help the poor and iv) madhyasthya, an equitable attitude. Ahimsa is, thus a positive virtue and it resolves itself into jiva-daya, compassion, for living creatures.36
It may be noted that the practice of Ahimsa is primarily meant to save our souls. Himsa and Ahimsa relate only to one's soul and not to those of others. Ahimsa is kindness to others, but it is kindness to the extent that we save others from the sin of violence. If we give pain to anyone we lower ourselves. Self-culture is the main problem in the practice of Ahimsa. In the Sütrakṛtānga it is said that if a person causes violence out of greed or if he supports such violence of others, he increases the enemies of his own soul37.
In the Acaranga sutra we are asked to consider ourselves to be in the position of the persons or animals to whom we want to cause injury.38 Gandhiji said, "I believe in loving my enemies, I believe in non-violence as the only remedy open to Hindus and Muslims. I believe in the power of suffering to melt the stoniest heart".30
The practice of Ahimsa with reference to concrete social situations would be better understood if we analyse the codes of
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
