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TATTVÄRTHA SUTRA
of non-violence and other restraints necessitate the sense of amity for all. In worldly life, we come across different people ranging from the highly virtuous to the wicked ones. How to deal with them, with equanimity and peace of mind would be a problem. This sutra provides the guidance. It stipulates that we should be friendly towards equals, adore the virtuous, have compassion for the downtrodden and maintain objectivity towards those not amenable to reason.
Sutra 7 stresses the vital importance of contemplating about the nature of worldly life so as to cultivate the sense of detachment and to promote the urge for liberation. When one contemplates about that, he can make out that everything in the world is ephemeral and nothing stays forever. As such, he can develop detachment for that and would start yearning for liberation. Without the sense of detachment and acute desire for liberation, it would be hard to adhere to the restraints.
In order to make out the significance of the restraints and to properly observe the same, it is necessary to make out the faults like violence, untruth, etc. which are inherent in nonobservance of restraints. Such faults are considered in sutras 8 to 12.
प्रमत्तयोगात् प्राणव्यपरोपणं हिंसा ॥७-८॥ 7.8: Pramattayogät Pränvyaparopanam Hinsä.
(Deprival of life on account of non-vigilance constitutes violence.)
This sutra defines violence as deprival of life owing to nonvigilance. Non-vigilance covers negligence, wrong motive, etc. This definition may seem at variance with the concept that
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