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NON-VIOLENT ACTION IN JAINA ETHICS
Nagendra Kr. Singh
The historical origin of ahimsa in Jainism is not definitely known, Mahāvira was contemporary of Buddha, but the Jainas claim that Mahāvīra was twentyfourth tirthankara.1 He devoted his entire life to spread the ideal of non-violence. All his sermons are full of great devotion towards the cause of ahiṁsā. He gave not only valuable ethical sermons for mental discipline, but also charming stories and fascinating fictions to educate the people in the ways of this virtue also.2 Radhakrishnan writes that Pārsvanātha is said to have died in 776 B.C., and adds: "There is no doubt that Jainism prevailed even before Vardhamāna (Mahāvira) or Pārsvanātha. The 'Yajurveda' mentions the name of three tirthankaras--Rşabha, Ajita nāth and Arista nemi. The 'Bhāgayata Purāna' endorses the view that Rsabha was the founder of Jainism. Few scholars except the Jainas themselves are, however, willing to go so far as to claim that the origin of ahiṁsā is in Jaina philosophy.
Non-Killing of living beings is the central conception of Jaina ethics and tremendous care they take in trying to practise it, is peculiar to Jainism. Umāśvāmiprescribes five precautions against killing : väggupti (preservation of speech), Manogupti (preservation of mind), Irya (care of walking), Adāna-Nikşepană (care in lifting and laying down things); and Alokitapāna-bhojana (thoroughly attending to one's food and drink). Kundakunda, a Jaina āchārya, has also described the rule of careful walking, which he called "Irya Samiti" in following words :
"A saint who walks upon a trodden path, free from living beings in daytime looking carefully a distance of four arms' length (two yards), ahead (is said) to observe carefulness of walking."
A saint should avoid walking on the grass. Particularly in the rainy season many living beings may be killed under foot unintentionally. Many Jaina munis (saints) will sweep the trodden path in front of them with soft broom, so that it is free from living creatures, A muni should not cook his own food, but he can take food prepared by others, if it is not specially cooked for him, which eating he should make sure that no living beings are in the food.
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