World Of Jainism

Author(s): Vishwanath Pandey
Publisher: Vishwanath Pandey

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THE ORIENT
thinkers that Jainism, motivated by the spirit of outwitting the rival systems, has over emphasized asceticism in general and the doctrine of Ahimsa in particular. The doctrine suffers from scientific and practical limitations. The hylozoistic conception that even the particles of fire element possess life is highly imaginative. The practice of living naked among the Digambaras, drinking boiled water, not eating anything produced underground, etc., are beyond practical reason. One faces the problem as to how one can explain capital punishment or any other type of punishment, corporal or otherwise; for, all of them cause suffering to men. Or, what would be the social philosophy of Jainism if the principle of Ahimsa is strictly adhered to? Will it be conducive to social good if the system of punishment is abolished altogether, because it causes pain and suffering? Or, what should a soldier do when he is facing an attacking enemy? Should a surgeon stop operation because it causes pain or he sterlizes his instruments in the process of which many germs die? Is it possible to pursue even one's religious life in a chaotic society where there is no system of social control? There are many such questions which demand answer from the protagonists of extreme Ahimsa. Perhaps, Jainism has no answer to these questions. Nor can any other system which emphasizes Ahimsa to this extreme have any answer. Such systems become lopsided, and cannot develop any integrated philosophy of life feasible in this world.
The problem of inherent contradiction involved in the doctrine of Ahimsa had engaged the mind of Indian thinkers right from the Upanisadic time or perhaps even earlier; and this is the problem which forms the very theme of the Bhagavadgita. The problem of Ahimsa and social responsibility or, in other words, the antagonism between moksa and social solidarity (loka samgraha) is thoroughly discussed in the dialogues between Arjuna and Krishna, and the solution suggested therein is that in case of a conflict between general duty (sadharana dharma) such as Ahimsa, etc., and specific duty (varnasrama dharma), such as the duty of a soldier, it is the latter which should prevail over the former. In other words, the precept of Ahimsa has to be sacrificed for greater good. Even to perform religious duties, the man and the society must exist. Mr. C. C. Shah's article on 'Jainism and Modern Life' reports an interesting incident from Mahatma Gandhi's life where Gandhiji is reported to have drawn the attention of a Jaina Muni about the inherent opposition (he calls a situation of dilemma) between the doctrine of Ahimsa and some hard facts of life. Gandhiji asks the Muni as to what he should do when he faces a poisonous snake in a room where there is no outlet to escape. He pointedly asks: "Should I kill the snake or allow him to bite me?" This question brings out the dilemmatic situation very aptly. But the answer given by the Muni that he would not advise Gandhiji to allow the snake to bite