Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 1

Author(s): Nathmal Tatia
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 158

THE JAIN IDEAL OF AHIMSA...
147 3. Ahimsā as a vow means 'desisting from himsā”. The Jaina philosopher's concept of ahimsa is clearly understood from his analysis of himsā which he defines as 'the taking away of life under the influence of pramada' (Tattvärthasūtra, VII. 13 : pramattayogāt prānaoya paropanam himsā). Here pramada stands for "unrestraint, passions and perversities and is the most important factor being, indeed, the criterion by which an act is to be judged as himsā. Whether a living being is actually killed or not, a person without self-restraint has definitely committed himsā (technically called bhāva-himsā): maradu va jiyadu va jiyo ayadacărassa nicchidă himsä
-- Pravacanas āra, III. 17a-b. There is, on the other hand, no karmic bondage consequent upon 'a mere act of himsa (technically called dravya-himsā) by a person observing unexceptionable self-restraint : Payadassa patthi bamdho himsamettepa samidassa
-Ibid, III 17c-d.
Thus a hunter, on account of his defiled state of mind, is considered a murderer, even though he has not actually committed any murder; but a surgeon, on account of his undefiled and pure condition of mind, is not regarded as a cruel person, even though the patient may feel pain or even die:
ahapamto vi hu himso dutthattayao mao abhimāro vva) bahimto na vi himso suddhattapao jaha vijjo//
- Višeşāvašyakabhäşya, 1764. Suppose, again, a person is extremely careful for avoiding injury to life, his mind being saturated with compassion for all living beings. Now if in spite of his freedom from passions and extreme caution and carefulness, he chances to tread upon an insect and injure it, that is not an act of himsa.
The Jaina monks and nuns accordingly claim that the strict observance of their moral code which prohibits even the taking of alms prepared for them--thus obviating even their indirect participation in himsă involved in the preparation of food, drink, etc.--guarantees the possibility of their lives being absolutely free from any kind of himsā. Akalanka has raised the interesting problem as to how a monk could be declared absolutely free from himsä when there are living beings in land, water and air, and the world is replete with clusters of living beings everywhere :
jale jantuḥ sthale janturākase jantureva ca/ jantumalak ule loke katham bhikgurahiņsakaḥ//
– Tattoarthara jadārtika, VII. 13,