Vijyanandsuri Swargarohan Shatabdi Granth

Author(s): Navinchandra Vijaymuni, Ramanlal C Shah, Shripal Jain
Publisher: Vijayanand Suri Sahitya Prakashan Foundation Pavagadh

Page 881

thoughts, words and deeds. Karma in Jainism is regarded as a subtle matter or form of energy which affects the soul as a result of one's thoughts, words and deeds. The Second aspect relates to the social obligation of an individual. According to this, Jainism helps the individual to develop an attitude of equality towards all beings and inculcates a sense of sanctity for an individual and his possession.
Jainism believes in the cycle of birth and re-birth and emphasises
ne of soul. According to this the body is merely a cover for the soul. Therefore, the comforts of the body are considered as chains for the soul and as such should be shunned so that ultimately the soul may be liberated from the bondage of karmas and re-birth cycle. This metaphysical belief logically culminates into the concept of Ahimsa in Jainism
Ahimsa is the foundation of the doctrine which basically recognises the inherent right of an individual to life; because every living being wants to live and does not want to die. This leads to the belief that no one has a right to destroy or harm any other living being. This Ahimsa is considered as the bedrock of all moral instructions in Jainism.
Albert Schweitzer in his book 'Indian thought and its development (London, 1961 pp. 82-83) has observed that the laying down of the commandament not to kill and not to damage is one of the greatest events in the spiritual history of mankind...so far as we know, this is for the first time clearly expressed in Jainism.'
Here two major questions arise before us:- (1) How a religion based on the principle of Ahimsa (non-violence) was followed by the preachers and followers two thousand five hundred years ago when most of the people including Aryans and Brahmins were non-vegetarians and the agricultural technology was not well developed ?
(2) What attitude was adopted to the animal world in symbolic and practical form.
The explanation of these questions can possibly help us in understanding the Jaina attitude towards the animal world and its impact on the social life in India.
As stated above the concept of Ahimsa determines the entire attitude of the Jaina preachers and their followers. According to them any appearance of passions in an individual is considered as commencement of Himsa (violence). It means that any deviation from the fivefold path of
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Shri Vijyanand Suri Swargarohan Shatabdi Granth