·THE CULT OM ANTINSA (a) Tras Jutas haping two sense org111s Besides the sense orgin of touch they here the sense organ of biste as well They can therefore feel whether any thing 18 sour or sweet, bitter, pungent or astrın gent Being possessed of Tougue they have also Voice Worms, Sbells, Conches are examples of Jivas possessing to sense orgins (by Tyas Irvas Having Thrce Sense Organs such as Bugs Ants, White ants etc Besides tho seuseorgans of touch and taste they have the sense organ of smell as well They can feel good or bad smell (c) Tras Juas Having Four Sense Organs such as Scorp ons Flies Mosquitoes Bees, and Crichets Besides the above thres organs they also possess eyes and as such can distinguish th- five colours such as Black, Yellow Indigo Red and White (a) Tras Jivas Having Irve Sense Orgaits They possess all the sense oigus viz - that of touch, taste smell sight and hearing There are four varieties of these Joas (1) The Jovas of the hells, (2) The Gods, (3) Human beings and (4) Infra buman beings buch 13 beasts and buids Ones Jainism preaches Ahimsa towards all the six hinds of living beings from the one senged ones to the five sensed It preaches equality of all these beings in the domaju of religion and does not dis inguish eren between the small and invisible ones and the visible rational beings like the It recognises the sanctity of the lives of all 1 obes ·TBE CULT OP AHIMBA beiags and enjoins complete Ahim18ct towards all in whatever state of existen03 they may be Jainism preaches that in spiritual field there is no room for relative value MAD may be a rational being possessing all the sense organs but so far as the feelings of pleasure and pain are concerned, it 19 the same in all beings and as sucb injury to small beings 18 as Biaful as the injury to rational men A rich man may have millions and the other, a poor & penny Depriving the poor of the peony causes him the sime agony as depriving the rich of his millions The difference in the value of the penny and million does not mile any difference between the feelings of the two Both bold their possessions as equally valuable So also one being may be quite undereloped and possessed of only one Bense, the other may be more developed and possessed of more than one sense but that is no reason why one sbould be privileged and the other ignored in the domain of religion Why the killing of one should be discouraged and that of the other condonod? Jainism toaches that injury 18 sinfal in relation to all and should be avoided as much in the case of the small beings as in the case of the big ones "All beings desire to live Non aspires for death Therefore tbe sinful killing should always be avoided" A Jeweller mas put different rulues on different kinds of jewels according to their qualities but a religious minded min cannot attach different values to different lives on the basis of their outward development He has to look to the psychology of value of one's own life "To do unto others what one would like otherg to do unto him'--18 the maxim which can be said to be the best indicator of the psychology of others and the determin! tire factor of behaviour towards others Jainism has preached the love for tho-feelings of others from time immemory and have fard grond ensis to look upon other beings

·0
TITE CULT OF ANIMSA
upon one's own soul and not to wound the feelings of any
body in the world
The following verses loin the Jain Scriptures illustrate
the point prolusuly
पुढाधी जीया पुढो सत्ता आउ लीया तहागणी
घाउ जीया पुढो सत्ता तणरुपग्वा सपीयगा
(1) Earth, (2) Water, (3) Fire (4) Air, and (5)
Vegetables Grass Trees and Corns 11)- these are different
identities of Jiras
अहावरा तसा पाणा पर छकाय आहिया
एयाए जापाप नापरे कोई पिज्जा
The atore five and the Tras Jrvas then forın the 822
clag eg of living beings There is no class of Jrvas other than
these
जे पेई नसा पाणा चिट्टम्ति अदुर थारा
परियाए अत्थि से अजू जेण ते तस थायरा
-
There are many Jitas which are Sthacaras or
ocapable of moving, there are othele cupable of moving
The categories are determined by the actions one has done
'l bo variance is due to the indırıdual barmas
उरार जगओ जोग विधज्जाम पलेतिय
सधे अपत दुक्खाय अओ स अहिसिया
A Trasha Juva may be trasformed into a Stharar in
the next life and also vice vers3 Whethor & Jica 18 Trasha
or Sthapar it makes no aiiferonce All dislike affliction and
there for idjary to all should be avoided

·7 TUR CULT OP AUDIA अज्मथ सचओ सय दिस्स पाणे पियायए न हणे पाणिणो पाणे भय घेराओ उधरए All feel their own pleasures and pains indırıdually All late their lives So the lives of Jiraz should not le interfered rith A man should not cause fear to others He should keep himself aloof from all kinds of enemity Comprehensiveness of Jain Ahimsa From what has been written above it will be seen that the Juin conception of Ahimsa 19 very comprebensere Jun Ahimsa extends not only to human beings but goes beyond and embraces within its orbit not only the bersts bırds and insects but also the vegetable and the Earth, Water, Fire and Wind lives Ahinsa may be called the busic principle of all religions but it 18 Jainism alone which can lay claim to have extended its horizen to all creations of the world Tbe principle of the sacredness of all lives has no where teen respected with the same magnitude and comprehensiveness of heart is in Junism Once Lord Alahavira addressed lus audience and sud "I ash you all, tell me whether you like bappiness or pain ? If your answer is that you dislike pain then take it from me that it is also the same with other belogs" Oo other occasion he sud "Suppose some body comes to you and asks you to hold in your bands a red hot iron-bal}, will yon do so ? If you cannot be expected to hold it, bow can you expect others to do xt? If you do not like to be harsbly treated, how do yon think that others like to be so treated ? Look into others as you would look to yourself” He las again said "As you would like to remain unmolasted so you should keep all others unmolated You should not hill any living beings and be kindly disposed to them all."

·8 THE COLT OP ANNA According to Joinism there are three causations All actions aro done by the instrumentality of mind body and speech The Activities of mind, body and speech are called Yoga in Jaingin Hamed my Bon caused by any of the three instruments or by all or his any of them in conjunction with any of the other or others When a min lills some body with the sword ho is apparently crusing Himsa by body The injury raused by physical force is due to the activity of the instiu nient of body When a mon orders tbe killing of some body Bon apparently commits Himsa by word of mouth The Timsa ensed br mind though upperceivable may still be tory violent in degree and more sinful than the che caused by the other two instruments Various instances of Himsa of the Mind are found in Jain Literature which are not only very interesting but also greatly alluminating At one time Hahara) Srenila 115 going in a procession on & visit to Bhagian Mahapra On the way he passed by the side of a grert Rıskı at ho has in deep meditation at that time The 118211 is himself a great King before his initiation into monkhood As the procession passed by big side the guards of the Emperor Srenil a talked between themselves fun of this Risht What a coward he is that he has left his empire to his young son and has taken recourse to this silent meditation' Look hon luis kingdom is being spatobed away froin the hands of his son by that rral king that has invaded the Kingdom lhese words fell in the ears of tbe Risut Ho forgo) that he was in meditation 18 a Sidhu and began to wage mental car with tho foes of his son He began to wayo Birords and other deadly weapons in the areas of i for the tune being he was in a pitched battle as if see the ·TOE CUIT OP ANSA he rus fighting with actual enemies By this time Sreniha reached the Lord Jahaoua ind after prying hun humble obeisance asked as to what future life world be obtained by the great Rishi, who was meditating so absorbingły Lord Alahavira said "He would go to the meinest Hell' Emperor Sreniha was quite amazed Lord Aſahavira satisfied his curiosity by answering that the Rishi was not at all in religious meditation but was deeply engrossed in & fierce battle in his mind This explains what is mental Himsa What is done by contemplation and mental manoeuvre 18 Himsa dono by the instrument of mind Jainism lays great emphasis on avoidance of all kinds of Himsa by mind, word and body or the combination of any two or more of them Himsa way Actions are executed in three ways either by doing, or by getting done, or by supporting When a person commits Hinsa himself he perforins it is the first ray When a person engages others to do some act of injury he commits 10 in the second way and when a person eulogises the injurious acts of others he comınits it in th: third way be caused by any one of these ways or by combination of two or more of them Jainism enjoins the avoidance of Unisa 10 all its ways and by all means Jainism preaches that the activities of the mind, body and speech in all these three trays are to be so controlled and restrained that no injury is caused to any living boing It is interesting to note that by combination and permutation of the three means and throe ways of activities a total number of 49 kinds of activities are arrived at Jainism enjoins non injury in all the 49 ways In this connection the ordination of Lord Mahadira, the great Fotary of Ahimsa is as follows

·10
THE CULT OF ARSA
जगनिस्सिएहि भूएहिं तसनामहि थानरहिं च
नो तेसिमारभे दड मणसा पयसा कायसा चेर
TVhatever living beings there are in the world, whether
of the moring or non moring class, should not be huit in any
of the lys 12 mind, speech or body
जारम्सि रोए पापा नसा अदुवा थारा
ते जाणमजाण घा न हणे नो वि घायए
A person aspiring to attuu liberation should not
consciously or unconsciously kill any hving being or cruse
others to kill them or eulogise killing by others
सय तियायए पाणे अदुपअनेहि धायए
हपान्त घाऽणुजाणाइ घेर घड्ढर अपणो
He who bulls lives himsell or causes another to kill or
supports one who is killing, is simply gathering enemity
towards himself
Juidism ønjolos Shimst not only towords friendly
beings bat towards all beings whether friendly or onenical
समया सब भूएमु सत्तु मित्तेसुघा जगे' It says the true principle
of Ahimse is to maintain a feeling of equanimity towards
all beings whether friends or enemies
As
Jainism goes on further and says that Ahimsa should
be muutained in all circumstances and at all places Ahimsa
16 pot a virtue of convenience but it is a principle
principle it should be hold sacred in all circumstances and
upbold against ill odds A truo rotary of themsa should not
grudgo ang sacrifice and should always chink that noth og
death can happen

·THE CULT OF HIS 11 "Tolerate living beings Do not kill them, though they ent jour flesh and blood" —such is the telching of Lord Mohavira Though weakened and emaciated by hunger like the joint of a crow's leg, though overwhelmed with thirst in deserts, though trembling with serere cold and though confronted by scorching hent, a true votary of shimsa should not be Tanquished and abstain from billing the vegetable, water, fire, earth and wind lives though is very existance be at stake Thus it will be seen that Ahimsa as followed by the Juins in very comprehensive ind all embracing It is a sort of proclamation of ferrlessness to the entire creation of beings It 18 bond of indemnity agaist all mal-treatment from one-self It is a message of forgiveness and tolerance even to the deadly enemies It is as specious as the sky itself and as deep as the ocean It is towards all, in all circumstaaces It is us towards theant, as towards the elephant and as towards the enomy, as towards the friend Jainisin further teaches "Treat the entire creation, be sma'l or big, on all sides, like thy soul "Be friendly towards all beings" Avoid enmity towards all' "Be ferbearing in your behaviour towards all” "All beings covet life and it is dear to all None like death, all dread it All beings desire happiness and abhor and dread pain Thinking thus do not hill any living being" Tous Jain Ahimsa is a principle of universal love and fellowr-feeling It is brotherhood not only of man and man but mon with beasts, birds, 12sects and whatever is embodied with life and consciousness Thie principle of Ahimsa is being preached by Jainism from time immemorial Lord Rishav, tho. Tirst Tirthanhar of the present Era. who has been and great Aratar and Avadhut 3 ·12 TIF COIT OF AHM94 Hol Righ Teda prorched this for thing to buis 98 sons ispiring for kingdom and conrerted them all into grent Saints of Ihrnst The 22nd Tirthanhar of the Jains, the renirable Lord Neminath on account of his deep regard for this very principle of Ahimsa give up his proposed marriage with Najımaly cho lovely lady of the Blog hul and setting aside all worldly ties becario a pions monk to save himself from being insturmental in tho falling of normals brought for marital feast Lord Tardman the 21thi Terlhanhar of the Jarns, own for hinself the title of Mahnoir & only luc culture of this great and invincible force of hamsa It was be who Irunched a strong rerolt against animal sacrifice and achuered marvellous success in his mission He was also called Mahatma ( #&T) -- great saint on account of lus large heartedness towards all beings, small or big Ho dovoted a period of more tbr 12 years to silent meditation and per formance of austere Tapas It was after this strenuous trial of years that he merged out as a great Saint and apostle of the msa and having attained Keval Inan or the supreme knowledge wis the most learned man of luis tine fe as called am' "one who understand the prin of others" TFATT FANFOGT - one who is free from all passions' 3789Fi- "one who is an emblem of no fear to the entire etistence Complete AR11158 If Praticable People generally doubt if Ahimsa is at all apractical relı gion lord Mahadır i p oclumed about 3000 jerrs buch that it is the eternal lan-tha real order of things for those who look to the welfare of their soul and there 18 nothing impracti cavle about it provided 3 man has the per urge and faith alone which makes difficult things easy and makes wat seems to the ordinary may only a theoretical ·THB CULT OP AHIMSA 18 proposition Of course oomplete observance of Ahimsa requires great sacrifice For those who cannot make neces- Bary sacrifice, it will always remain impracticable Greatness of facrifice is no measure of impracticability If one cannot put forth the required efforts and pay the necessary price it is his incipacity It is quite true of Ahimsa as of other things "what one man has done others can do as well af the sume amount of zeal, carnestness and efforts are forthcoming Ahimsa requires strenuous efforts and intermitent carefulness for its observance in all thoroughpess to say A do oto of complete Ahimsa iequired to make great sacrifices The conditions laid down are as follows 1 All ties with family and home should be cut off All attachment should be cast off All worldly possessions must be given up 18 kinds of sins should be avoided 3 A life-long yow to obesrve Ahimsa in word, mind, and speech in all its aspeots should be takon 4 Life long yow of not to tell falsehood, not to stoal, not to indulgo in sexual intercourse of any kind and not to poss365 any property should be simultaneously adopted 5 Body, mind, and speech should be lopt under constant vigilance and control 6 Necessary activities should be conducted with utmost care and in an unfralty manner Life should be quite ·14 THE CULT OP EINSA 7 Life should be sustained on lifeless food and drink, 8 Measured food and drink may be taken between sun rise and sun set and nothing should be stored over night 9 The essentials of bare existence abould be obtained by innocent begging 10 Life should be mndo completely self depondant and even the help of public service like Post and Telegraphs, Ras/1355 or Airways should be abandoned 11 Long balts should not be made at any particular r14ce and i vandening ble should be led No Mopisteries Maths or Shrines should be kept or erected A person who 19 willing to renounce the world as stated above and puts forth all his energies for the observance of the rules of conduct mall find that dhamsa 19 no longer au impracticable religion to him It may be asked the yorld 18 full of lives thero is no pince which is defod of lives even according to Jains then how is it possible to lead a complete Ahimsak life Lives are bound to be killed inspite of all renunciations and keepest observance of the rules of conduct" The answer 18 A very simple one A man can be held responsibio only for bis actions but not for what happens to others Death, birth and continuation of life are the laws of the Universe Jepas are dying all around New births are taking place every mo ment Liv03 910 been uxisting all around But s man is not respopible for all these Death of a living being can not cast slus on passer by nor can the perceful life of a being make lim meritorious Cessation of life is no Himsa nor the continga ·THE COLT OP AHIUSA 15 tion of life is Himsa One who kills Jitas is Himsak and one who does not kill living beings is Ahimsak A person, who makes all possible renunciation for the observance of Ahimsa, is erer vigilant in its observance, avoids all possible Djuries to living beings, treats them all like his own soul and dces pot mind any sacrifice, discharges his responsibi lities to the utmost and if Jroas are killed inspite of this ho cannot be held responsible for the same Jetas die by their own larmas and also live by the same force How can A man who is non injurious in ruind, body and speech and in all his activities be held responsible for the death of some body which he did not bring about willingls or consciously Such deaths aro natural deaths and an Ahimsak can not Le charged with any offence on that account Lord Diahavira has said- सच भूयाप भूयस्म सम्म भूयाइ पासो पिहिया सरस्स दन्तस्स पाय पम्मन यन्बई जय चरे नय चिट्टे जय आसे जय जय भुजस्तो भासन्तो पाय कम्म नबन्ध सप "One who looks upon all beings as his own soul, one who has stopped his Asratas or inlets of bin and one who is selfrestrained is not bound with sins Standing carefully, sitting carefully, sleepiog carefully, eating carefully and spenkiog carefully y man is not bound by sids Once Lord Blahatıra was asked what would be the consequences to a monk if eggs of a hen aro crushed under his feet Nabavira replied “f the Ahimsah monk us carefully walking no sins would attach to him This answer was 3lso with the sime back-ground as stated above The mensrea ·10 THE COLT OP AWA for the crime of Himea has been rightly set up above and 2 man is completely Ahaineak if he cannot be charged with the samo In keeping with the the above principle and as an amplification of the same it has been snd that a man who does not take the Tot of non injury, who is careless in bis activities and movements and who does not make necessary Bacrifice for the obserrince of the principle of Shamsa commits the offence of Himsa eren though no lives hare been lilled A militars witchman who sleeps in the oight and is not vigilant is guilty of offence even though no enemy raid has actually occurea A cat may not be able to cntoh a modne but it is cruel nerertheless as it is always after its hunt mentally A person bates somebody and resolven, on an occassion offerno, to hill him Is he not a murderer simply because he is not finding opportunity to commit murder? Similarly a person who harbours evil propensities, thoughts, or intentions towards living beings is a murderer in relation to them It is the self which is ultimately the wrongdoer If a person does not renounce sins if he is accustomed to act harmfulls, and if be is not careful in the operations of his mund, speech and body he commits the sin of Himga oren though no Jida bas been killed Being unresigned and uncontrolled, he shots utter disregard for the lives of others day and night and is therefore committing Hiniga every moment It may be argued bere hor is Ahimsa practicable to a householder when he has to give up all worldly ties and wealth for its observance It is at the cost of all worldly enjoy ment, so it is not practicable for mundane Souls The ·TAF CULT OP AHIS 17 question 19 a very important one but it is based on a false senso und staggerated value of the worldly life What enjoyments there are in the worldly life to a person who looks to the realities of things and challs out & ny for tho pormanent good of the Soul? The worldly enjoyments are not permanent Then they are not mllngly abandoned they abandon tbe man in due course and leave a great agony in the mind behind You cannot give up eating betel nuts but what happens when teeth are no more? You cannot give up cipomas and theatres but what happens when you are blinded by irony of fate? You cannot male charity of your wealth but what happens when a tragedy like that of Quetta or that of Noahbalı or Bihar happens ? You always think of your wife and children but what happens when you happen to die before them? After all, the worldly pleasures and enjoyments are quite transitory and fleeting They are sensual and not natural and as such not at all of intrinsic value The world relations are also of temporary character (Ahimsa supreme virtue having greatest intrinsic value in the uplift of the soul It gives everlasting peace and tranquility to the Soul It is panacea for all social discords and conflicts It is something like a rocky shelter in the midst of the miseries of the world It is the purity of Soul and bobleness of feeling It is the purest of meditations It removes hostility and fosters aniversal brotherhood Lord Hahavva has very mcely said "Ahimsa is freedom from all Isorios It is the true sacrifice of all sacrifices It is the abode of the liberated ones and the throne of the enlightened To those who aspira for happiness of the Soul, Ahimsa to them is libe sky to the birds, water to the thirsty, bread to the hungry, boat to the drowning, medicine to the sick and a guide to lost ones in the woods" If Ahimsa is an essential vittua 18 ·19 TIIE COLT OF ANISA for permanent good of the Soul then the sacrifice inrolred for ats obverrance should noror bc trhen 18 too greit himsa requires simply willing abrudonment of transitory pleasures and short lived relations of the world-plensures and rolations which a man is forced to abandon against his will under the compulsion of Karmic 281 Is this sacrifice too great ? Hitler szericed the best mon and materials for wrecking vengeance on his enemies Why should not by ono be competent to sacrifice his petty pleasures for the com plete obsei tance of Ahimsa Lord Mahavira bas oud that 33 tha razor cuts on its sharpness and tho shoal mores on its orbit, similarly wise men base their lives on stern realities of things Men are born for tho culture of religion only Ahimsa and House-holder It may be asked if it is not too much to expect such coinplete renunciation from every person There may be persons who oboose to live as house-holders What is the path challed out for them in Jainism? What 28 Ahimsa of the weal? This question is also very important and I may attempt & short answer bere There is no disappointment even for a house holder in Jain 1812 What is Ahimsa ? It is self restraint (FEET निउना दिवा सय भुपसु सजमो) and abstention from suns (उधरओ Ame) against living beings This abstention muy be complete or partial as the case may be When it is complete, It 18 tall Ahimsa and when it 18 partial, it is restricted Ihonsa A louse holder has the choice to adopt Thamsa of tt restricted scope He may try and determine to be Non violent to the extent of lua capacity As for example of a laymon ·19 THE CULT OF AHIMSA thinks that he has not the moral strength to remain noninjurious when asszulted, it is his choice to take the vow of not killing innocent moving beings This is restrioted Ahimsa Jainism says that Ahimsa is always beneficial whrtover muy be the extent to which it is adopted Nectar is beneficial even if it is taken in small quantity In whatever sphere of life a man muy be, he 18 capable of observing Ahimsa to some extent or other The Scheme of Jain Ahimsa 19 such that every boly may find scope to practise it according to his capacity, Even at the risk of being longthy I describe the Scheme in some detail here Ahimsa should be the guiding principle of every buman being Evory body should abstain from all kinds of injury in all its aspects One who does not find himself sufficiently capable of observing complete Ahimsa, he should practise it as far as possible He should at least trke the yow as follows 1 I shall not bill intentionally any innocent living boing of the moving species nor sball I cause another to do so by mind, speech and body He should in particular avoid the following acts nu (1) Beating and chistisement of living beings, (2) Mutilatıng or castrating, (3) Tying up or entrapping living beings, (4) Overloading, and (6) Withholding food and drink ·20 THE CULT OY AHIMSA l'o speak lies 18 also & sin against beings Falsehood should be completely abstained One who cannot avoid fal chool completely, he should at least aroid grogs falsehood og giring fal e evidence or appropriation of others property He should in particular avoid the following acts (1) Valbely scousing others, (2) Disclosing secrets (3) Betraying the confidence of one's wife, (4) Giving sinful advices, and (5) Execution of false documents or forgery 3 To steal others properties is also Himsa ealti and property are as dear 18 one's own life One should completely abstain from all kinds of stealiog and take nothing which is not given by the owner One who canuot abstain from stealing complotely he should at least give up gross stealing eg burglary, house breaking, pochet pichin,, dacoity and such other offences pertaining to property of others He should in particular avoid the following Acts -- (1) Purchase of stolen Articles, (2) Aiding and abet106 stealing, (3) Illegal Traflio (4) Use of false weights and measures, and (5) Adulteration and dealing in adaltorate products Sernal intercourse 15 Also an act of Himsa Innumerable lies are lilled in the process of generation Carnal desire is in itself Eimsa One should completels abstain from all kinds of sexual intercourse and sexual ·THE CUIT OF AHTISA pleasures in its entirety But one who 18 A householder, he should at least give up all kinds of adnltery and be contented with one's own wife Excessive indulgence with one's own wife should also be sbunded He should in particular aroid the following acts (1) indulgence with any keop or concubine , (2) Indulgence rith a widow, unmarried women or apros etc, (3) Unnatural indulgenco, (4) Contracting marriages and sexual relations, (5) Excessive sexual indulgence 5 Possession of property is due to greed and attach ment to worldly pleasures and and as such is Himsa One should completely abstain from all attachment, external or internal One who is a householder and cannot abstain from possession altogether he should at least abstain from too much possession of the following groups of properties (a) Land and House properties, (b) Gold and Silver, (c) Other valuables and Grains, (a) Beasts-Bipeds and Quadrupeds, and (@) Other housshold furniture This is possible by a limitation of the quantity and number of the articles for use 6 There are Jivas all around and in all directions Sins are committed against all these Jroar in ten directions, in various ways As a Householder adopts only limited VOWS, great scope is left for the commission of sins not covered by his restricted rows To narrow down and limit the scope, At Tow called the Dig Trata is enjoined A vouseholder shoud limit his movements in all directions This 1$ someting like putting 1 space-limit to activities and ·22 TNX LT Ante consequentis giving up Timsa completely outsido 3 prrticular spice-limit Thuis cin be ersily practised by a little attention and carefulness 7 There are innumerable material objects of enjoy ments some may be used repertedly and others oply ones Hl1m90 18 caused in the enjoyment of all these material objects There are 20 categories of these objeote Amani should avoid the enjoyment of these nil in all coippleteness but a householder who cannot do 80, should limit the number or quantity of the articles to bo used by bum This can be down for & dry or for a fred period This narrows done tho fifth row of partial renunciation of attachment or possession and intensifies the spirit of Ahmea 1 There are Fifteen Farieties of Business enterprises mentioned in Jain Scriptures such as those involting frost use of fire, cuttiog of trecs plants etc, making curts etc castrating bulio ks, clearing of Jungles by employment of fire and drying up lales rivers etc Tbege fifteen varieties of Business enterprises urolve great injurr to liring boings and should be avoided by all lay men 8 There are serious mental dispositions and propen Bities which canse Ilimsa without any return whatsoever These mental Himsas ind 17180 crused by curelessness should be aroided to strengthen the son of Ahimsa Hapher ing after unobtained pleasures or anxiety for preserging the obtained onos and evil motives and designs are all Aparlhyan jorolving Time for no self-interest To leop utensils contuning oil etc, open and withont lid is causing Timsa due to curelessness One 4140 coinmits II 2113sa by distribution ·THE COLT O! ANIS of serpons of death like Bombs, Lathis and other armaments Sinful advice 38 aleo Himsa for no self-interest A layman ghould abstain from all these 9 The life of a complete votary of Ahimsa 18 devoid of all sinful activities Every min should cnlture a completely pious and sinless life but if a householder finds it difficult he should, at leasts for a period of 48 minutes, take the Tow of avoidance of sinful activities and try to repeat it as many times a day as possible This daily priyer und meditation of 48 minutes males a person realise the impor tance of a life long vow to avoid all sinful activities in a sense a time limit to the commission of Himsa not covered by other rows The status of a layman during the period of the vow, though to a lesser degree and extent, is very near to that of a complete Ahimsah This 18, 10 To intesify the restrictive Vows of abstinence from possession and moving outside a particular area, a layınan should observe the vow known an DESAVAKASIKA VRAT This vow 18 a further limitation of the sixth and seventh vows The general lifelong limitation of the area of movement or action is farther narrowed down for a smaller period of a day Similarly the objects of use are further limited for that day and they are not used outside the limited area determined by this Tow In this way the scope of Ahimsa is broadened and it goes on occupying greater and grenter importance in the life of the honse-boider 11 Eleventh rule of conduct which a layman 16 to observo is complete fasting from sunrise to sunrise and passing the night on lifeless ground on & simple and secluded bedding ·24 THE CULT OF AM134 and devoting oneself to meditation and atonement of sins In this vow complete Brahmacharya has got to be observed and the natural walls are performed, if necessary, at spots which are inspected and pre determined This also intensifies the vow of Ahimsa for that day 12 Various kinds of foods and eatables are prepared in a layman s house A layman is required to offer his food, and drinh, medicines and other articles of use and in ones possession to a fully renunciated monk This willing dodation of one's articles to pure Sadhus gives him from the bin which have been entailed, if he had used the same for his own nourishment and comforts It will be seen from a careful study of the above Towa as to how the life of a House holder has been tried to be made more and more Ahimsak ud how by an unconscious and deeply thought of process the various injurious sctivities have been taken off the life of a Jain layman The principle of Ahimsa is deep rooted in all the vous Every voy deeply inculcates the idez of non injury and self restraint They Are valuable rules of discipline and religious benevolence Thoy terch at every step to be more and more Ahimsah Ahimsa an uncompromisable Virtue It may be sud that Jainiem preaches restricted Ahımsa in case of house holders and as such sanctions Eimsa to some extent or other The reply 19 emphatic Nos Jaimsm never sides with Lemsa It does not compromise the principle of Ahimsa under any circumstances It explains its intention by a story as old as Mahavira himself There 1198 a King who arrested five persons for a particular crime The father ·TRE CCLT OP ANINSA 25 of the arrested persons tras very much concerned to learn the arrest of his sons Ho sent to the King and began to baseach him to release his sons and not to hang them up The King was not willing Thoreupon the father insisted on release a least of four of them and then of three, then of two and at last requested the king to release at least one of them Can it be said that the father was hostile towards any of his sons in getting the one released ? In the same way Jainism insists on non injury to all beings but lo one who cinnot give up injury to all beings at says "please give up Ahimss of the innocent ones at least" It does not support hostility to others in the least The behaviour of life which 18 no injurious to living beings in any of the ways is called self restraint One who is self-restrained in body, mind and speech in all these ways us Ahunsah in its fullest sense One who is not so fully restrained but is restrained only to & certain extent or towards certain Jrras only is called restrioted Ahimsal He is Ahimsah to the extent to which ho observes non-injury and Ilımsal in respect of other sinful activities The unrestnoted part of a house-holder's life is not at all commendable according to Jainism imposes upon himself the restriction of net hunting any fish He does not satisfy his wants by means of fishes He is therefore controlled so far as fishes are concerned and 18 Ahimsak in that respect But he meets his wants br means of vegetable bodies in general With regard to them he is uncontrolled and aarestrained und therefore sinful Similarly he is hostile to other beings in respect of whom ho has not renounced the sins A Traction is always a part of the whole and similarly partial Ahimsa of the house holder leading as it does to the complete shunsa is always bolesome Jainism doa; not recog0169 A man ·20 TITE CULT OF X11S Ilima in the least It recognises partial himen inas much as it is a species of Ahimsa Unchangable Deflation of Ahimsa A Fisherman has to hunt fishes to eke out his lur lihood A cultirator has to grow and cut the harset to support himself and his family How can these acts be described as violent when they are essential for the very etistence of life! So far as tho Principle of Ahimsa ig concerned it sull remain the same for all and for ever It cannot be altered and varied to get the convenience or as cet wall of the person concerned It is a determined thing just like a yard which cannot be shortened or lengthened with each customer The measure must remain constant otherwise it can serre no purpose It Ahimsa is an eternal truth its conception inust be daterinized and unvarying The definition of Geometri calline must remain the sume shetber the casc 18 of a young boy anable to draw way but thuck lines or a skilled artist competent to draw the finest ones rerching to a npproximato perfection There can be no two definitions of themsa There are sofinite cases to meet and the definitiou of Ahinsat cannot be vaned to meet these sofiuito cases However, there 18 no disappointment oven for such persons like Fisber man etc in Jaipiem Even such persons may be Ahimsaks to a certain extent A Fisherman may take on 20to hunt more than a fixed number of fishes & day or to buut in particular waters only A Cultivator may similarly impose upon himself the restriction of acreage of land to be sown He may take yow not to bow other than a particular variety of corn In this way every person can cultivate Ahinsa in his own sphere of life Jainism does not allow to call & life ·27 THE CULT OF AHINCA are religious then it is really sinful Jainism does not recognise circumstances in life as justifying Himsa It gives the true perspective of things It says "see and beliere things as they If you are a fisherman you should know that you are committing Himsa in huntiog fish and the plea of support of the family is no justification If you are a cultivator you must know that you are committing Himsa in tilling tbe land and in barvesting corn and the argument that cultivation is necessary for supporting the nation will not turn the sinful act into an act of Ahimsa" A Doctor may come forward and say apimal experimentation and sirisection is necessary to find oat nov medicines for the welfare of humanity and therefore there is no Himsa in billing animals for research in medical science Some body will come out and say that animal sacritice 19 necessary to propitiate gods and therefore there is no Himsa in killing goats for the purpose Some wall say it is necessary for the establishment of Pakisthan to kiil Hindus and Hindus will also say the vice-versa But an Act of Kimsa cannot be converted into that of Alumsa simply by ascribing to it some motire or other Whatever may have been your motivo if you are not self-restrained and Ahimsal in your mode of life, you are Himsah and sinful Jainism regards Ahimsa in renunciation of Himsa It does not call Hinsa meritorious simply because you happen to have some reason or circumstances which probibit you from giving up your calling or so called philanthropio work for the cause of haminity Jainisu does not look to the circumstances of the person and his ephironments bat regards an act of violence and unrestraint towards creatures as a sinful act in all cases Sell delence is regarded as an exoneratiog circumstances under the criminal law, what does Jainism say about it?

·08 TUE CULT OF AINSA oven It 63y$ Tainisu does not distinguish between a foe and a friend It tayo emphasis on alıke treatment towards an enemy and 1 friend "समया सय भुपसु सत्तु मित्तेमु या जगे।" It days culture a spirit of followship towards all "faire कप्पए" Do not be Vindictivo towards say living boing 'न यिझज्ज पेण" It will thus be seen that Jainism does not give moral support to killing oren for self-defonce On the otherhand it preaches that forbearance is the highest virtue (fafarroa OTA) and enjoins that when assulted a rotary of themsa should not feel annoyed but should bear all tortures very calmly It teacles that goul is imperishable Body and Soul are distinct Annihilation of the body is not annihilation the Soul no matter whether body remains or perishes, Soul should be protected and religion should bo preserved Innumerable instances are there, where Jain Heroes bave sacrificed their lives for the noble principle of Ahimsa Gajsulhmal a relation of Srikrishna was betrothed to the daughter of one Somal Just a few days before marriage, Gajsukhmal got himself initiated at the feet of Tirthankar Arist Nemz and soon after initiation tool to holy meditation near a creniatory Bomal, the would be father in law, was very much annoyed at it and placed burning cliarcoals from pyre vear by on the head of Junt Gajauhhmal, who yas in deep meditation The whole body Was burnt to Asbes but Iuni Gajsukmhal did not brenk bis meditation remained quite calm and composed, and did not retaliate the cruel Somal Another instance is that of Alunt Khandah whose skin was striped off with razor yet he did not even scream i sigh from his mouth and allowed himself to be killed for the sake of his Soul The instance ·TRE CULT OF AHISI 29 of self-immolation at the alter of Ahimact are too numerous to be recorded here, tas that very cave On occasions of assault aggression or danger to life, the only path open to a Ahimsah is to depend upon persia- Biveness It 18 only by change of heart that Ahimsah may seek to save himself The beautiful Lady Rajimali, who initiated herself into the lioly order of Sadhvis, after Arzolhanemr the 22nd Terthanhar gave up huis intention to marry her, happened to make a short balt in a care on a rainy day Rathnemz, the elder brother of Aristaneme also a Sadhu and he was staying in Rajımalı did not notice him and spread hor clothes to dry them up Rathneinr, seeing Rajimatr naked began to induce her to love him There was no protection for Rajimatı She quickly folded her arms over her breast and sat down Rajuair bay that Rathnemi s strength of will was broken and temptation had got the better of him But she did not loose courage and began to address Rathnemi in most heroic words -"I should bavo no desire for you even 1f you were Paisramana in beauty Fie upon you famous bnight, who want to lick the vomited food for the sale of this transitory life To you death is honourable than life Both of us are born in noble families Let us firmly practise self-control If you fall in love with any women yon see, you will be like a Hada tree that can be uprooted by a gust of wind He cannot be said to be a Tyagi in its true sense, who does not find pleasure in garments, women and bed simply because he has not got them He alone is a real Tyagi who turns his bach eten towards enjoyments at his disposal" Having heard these well-spoken words Rathnem; returned to his ·90 THE COLT OY AHIMBA senses like an elephant driven by the book Thus the prous Indy Razimatı true to self control and her VOTVS, WAA succesful in defending herself and maintained the honour of her clan and family and her own chastity by change of the heart of Rathinemi WS Another Terv interesting instance is that of layman Sudarshan He was a layman desciple of Lord Vahavira and was a reqident of the famous city of Rojgriha Outside the skirts of Rajgriha lived a gardener named Arjunaka Gardener's wife's pame Bandumati One day Bandumati was attacked by some wealthy young man of Rajgriha, who wolated her chastity From that day the Gardener Arjunaka become a very cruel man The ghost of violence tras in him in full rampant and he hegan to kill six men and one woman every day by his club Jahara, Srenika, king of Rajgriha heard of this and worned the people by beat of arms not to go outside the city lest they may be billed Once Lord Mahavira happened to come to that side and stayed in Gunshilab Chaitya ontade the skirts of Rajgriha Sraval Sudarshan heard of this and resolved to go to that part of the city to pay his respectful homage to Lord Mahavira and would tot desist inspite of all requests from all hitbs and Ling Alone ha went out of the city As soon 18 he was perceived by the Arjunaka he began to wars hus Mugdar and ran towards Sudharshan to kill him Sudharshan was not a but He chose a small spot for himselt and folded 119 hands together in prayer and uttered My falutation to the Arahats and Siddhas My salutation to Lord Mahavira, tho Saviour of the world I was so long observer of the nervous ·THE CULT OF AANIKA 91 restricted vors, now you 18 my witness I take upon myself the fullei FOWS I renounce the 18 binds of gips and If I survive this give up all kinds of food and drink ordenl I shall hare option to terminate my determination to fast unto death If I do not survive I shall stick to my determination till the last moment" Having mnde this firin resolve Sudarshan stood in silent meditation Arjunak wis simply amized at this calm posturo He stood dumbfounded and could not attack Sudarshan He simply stured at his face ac ut he was drawing ? contrst between his cruel lift, and the calm and sereno life of Siadak Sudarshan IIe was so much impressed br the calmness that prevailed on the face of Sravah Sudarshan that the Ghost in him was out and he fell down senseless on the ground with club off Sraval Sudarshan mis out of danger His vor biving been fulfiled, was terminated automatically Arjunaka recovered his senses į little while later and accompanied Sravah Sudarshan to par his homage to Lord Alahadıra He much impressed by the prcaching of Lord Mahavira that he adopted the life of & full Ahimsak Bis life is then an ideal one People used to stone him, beat and hick him as the old murderer but Sadhu Arzunaka troula pot oren utter & single word in protest He would calmly forbenr all these tortures A cruol murderer was thus cou Terted into a staunch yotary of Ahimsa It was only by change of heart that Sraval Sudarshan is able to save bimself in tho worst of circumstances Ahimsa and Women A question may be asl ed-hat to do when persuasiveness is of no arail ? How can a woman protect her chastity in such circumstances ? Y78 80 ·32 THX OUIT or And The question is a rory graro one TO Burcum to live a lifo of shoms is cowardice and to resort to volcaco for sell protection is 1160 con nrdico 99 It shows a lack of faith in tho officacy of Ahimss Thon lion to Sot out of this Dilemma' The answer 18 quite fumple "Dio for tho she of thy religion Do not sticcum Do not resort to violent rotalrtion bat bo proprred for a calm douth and look to meditation and pray or as the only 62iiours Allon thy fell to be killed in allent moditation It the 25stilent 14 aggressi10 and bent upon doing mischiel abrodon this body in an innncont tony and thus make futilo ali nitempts of tho 16gressor" It is interesting to note tunt Lord Blaharirn has prescribed that 10 thosc circainstances Sadhor may stronglo herself to donth rnther than allost hersoll to be violeted In fact Join Nuns may use strings with them for stringling thomselves if any occasion arises at all Cannot a lot woman ise Teapons in soll delenco ? Nuns are undor Tots of complete Ahimsa Thoy cannot talo Tecourse to any kind of forcs much less to sword or dagger for their protection Lay women aro in dificreat circumstances Why should not they uso weapons for sale guarding thoir person ? As cowardliness is no virtuo for Nuus 80 also it is not for lay women They should not succum therpselves to muy 288nult much less to injury to their chastity If they have to choose between cowardico or shamless life and Fiolence let ther not chooso the first one When the choico is between violence and non violence lot them not be riolent Remembor that violenco is also no guarzstee for self protection It jan relative term Of what trail en violonco bo agunst violenco ·TAL CULT OF ABDISA 33 in when the aggressive side is more stronger, or better equipped or put in botter circumstances or have pre planned designs It is only a pious chiralry which can sire one's honour odd circumstances The tragedies of Norkhalı and Bihar would not hrve been 50 painful if women there would have played their pırt well and instead of succuming would havo giren up their lives for the sake of their honour themsa is the only invincible force or voupon for an otherwise ill equipped victim Self protection must come from within It must not in any circumstances be allowed to depend on outward strength Protective weapons muy be snatched but the puoral force and will not to allont oneself to be molested in any circumstances always remain selfprotected It is a perennil source of strength which cannot be snatched or detached Moral strongth of womanhood 19 the greatest and tho most invincible force which crn protect its honour in all circumstances Of course when a lay woman is under the restricted vow of Ahimsa, she has for her choice the prth of counter Attachs 29 well It is for her to decide to take to violenco or not It is true that even if sbe decides to tako to violent methods it does not mutilato her vow as it is only to refrain from hillıog innocent boings But Jainisin specifically points out at the same time that an act which does not break z row cannot be taken is tantamounting to support it An fct may be sinful oven without doing any violence to the 101 Only that act is sinless which supports the you or intensifies the same Looking from this view point, the not of killing eren in aggressor cannot be countenanced and called meritonus It is always sinful as it is not 12 specie of themsa but only an expression of disability or ·TAE COLT OY AHTISA weakness of the soul within to act non violently in certain circumstances Ahimsa and Protection The question of protection of others is also allied to the question of self defence, as the former is oniy an amph fication of tho latter Self defence when spolco in relation to others is protection What is the duty of porson when he is confronted with the problem of protection of others ? I shall attempt a brief roply to this question 15 rell Tho question will be best understood at it 19 split up into four ports viz (1) wlien the protected and the protector are both complete Ahimsah, (2) whor the protected is not fully Ahimsah but the protector is fully so, (3) when the protected 18 fully Ahimash but the protector in not so, 2001 (4) when tho protector is partially Ahimsah and the protected 18 also 60 (1) In the first case as the protector is fally thinsal he cannot take recourse to violence without brork106 tho first great vow of non injury to all However pious tho life of the protected person may be, it should not bo protected by doing violence to one's own TOWY The sapotity of yow abould be inaintainod at all costs This is the preaching of Jainism Wo may cito hero two instances from Juin scriptures to make our Fiew point more clear Jahavira was still in his formativo period He had not yet acquired Lewal Jnan or supreme Lnowledge In this state of his monk lıfe he was accompanied by one Gosala, who aitor yards turned out to be his great rival Ile 18 very sobievious and on account of bus miserious Ictivity Vas 10atrumental in arousing a great recluso into rage ·THE CULT OY AMXSA 85 He was The recluse possossed the faculty of Tejo Labdho-the power to burn objects upto a certain distance Lord Mahavira possessed the counter power called the Shital Labdhs and ho used this power to protect Gosala from being burnt to ashes Commenting on this incident saint Bhrkanje, a great apostle and thinber of the 19th Centuary, has said "This was a faulty stop taken by Mahadira At that time Alahavira nas possessed of all the eight Karmas still in a formative state and 18 under the influence of all Karmic forces ind it is no wonder if he went stray Another incident happened in the life time of the very Tirthanhas after he had attained the supreme hnowledge This time Lord Mahadu a did not use the counter-power and hopt himself aloof He did not try to protect his two pious Sadhus by uso of force Rarchand Bhar, great Jain philosopher, commenting on this incident bas said at one place-Had Lord Alahavira used his psychic power for the protection of bis Sadhus he would have had to take another birth" Thus will at once ghon how the use of force for protection of others is disregarded by Jains as sinful It is tlus apprrent thint according to Junism a Sadhu cannot protect another Sidhu when Loing attached by a wild beast by hilling or using any other force against it Similarly he crunot protect & Sadhwi, from the attacks of a licentious person by doing away with hun He can only preach religion and in caso it fails to indluence, he would leave the Sadlını to dic a brave and heroic death ind would exhort her to remun firm and not to give up bør religion in any circumstances It is raid अरिहंता भगरतो अहिय य हिय य न वि इह मिचि धारति पारयति य, धितूण जण या हत्ये 23 96B ·36 TAX QUIT OG ATINA 6 Arhal Bhagioans norer use my forco to desist peoplo fron what is harmful to the nor do they use it to persist then to do what is beneficial to them Thoy neror forcibly hold hands and guide people but simply proach (ger go Fafat) what is beneficial and of permanent good" A person who muataing perfect equinimity of inınd in surh exciting cirrumstances 19 rogarded 79 having obsorved non violence in its truc spirit A person who fills to muntain mental equilibrium and show fcelings of affoction towards the victim or feelings of hatred towards the assulont s called the transgressor of the row of Ahimsa Saint Bhicanja the great rotury of Ahimsa, wlule explaining the discourses of Lord Manav1 a, tbo gient hero of non riolenco his romarked at more than one place that the fooling of love or attachment and batred or disgust aro both violence in disguiso nnd a true lover of Allirisa should save himself front both kinds of feelings There is a very interesting story on the point There was a lenox ned Jain Dronk amely illumi Sthandal who had 500 monk disciples under his leadership When Skhandah was a house holdo, he was a great debtor ind wis yuccessful in defentiae another grent plulosophor ol his tune This philosopher was attached to some king After Sthandal become mond he happened to stay in a burden of that King and the philosopher now found opportroity to tal e rovenge Ho unanged to put deadly werpons underground in the garden and poisoned the mind of the ling that the monls were dacoits in disguise Tho king on investigation found the wenpops underground and Lelloriog the philosopher to be true, ordered fum to exechte all the sadhus to death One by one 199 sadhus were put in an oil crusher and squeezed to death beforo the very eyes of ·THE CULT OF ARTYSA 87 1 Sthandal Slhandah was quite unmoved oren at this terrible slaughter As ench Sadhu was being talen to the crusher, bo is instructing him to remain non-violent and not to entertain eren hostile thoughts in miod All the Sadhus faced the situation very calmly and died without the least thought of enemity towards the philosopher Non came the turn of the last disciple He was quite young The ider of his death moved Slhandah and taking pitr on him, he began to bescech the plulosopher for mercy But as the latter did not pay heed to l is roquest he got ingrs and began to curse the pbilosopher After all Slhandah 28 also put into the crusher but he could not recoup his mental equilibrium and was Lilled, when he was ful of agony and wrath towards the plulo.opher Now it has been sud in Jain scriptures that Si handah is a Biradhak ie one who did not observe the Vow of Ahimsa in its true sense, and bus disciples were Aradhah as ther observed it in its true spirit There attrchment in the lierrt of Slhandah which caused bin to be unequinimous townds his onemy and thus be fall down from his great row of Ahrinsa It has been 8910 in Jarn Scriptures TS जग त समयाणुपेही पियमग्पिय रस्सइ णा करेज्जा जो समो सव भृएम तस्स सामाइय होइ "Look at beings with equininuty Do not be furourrble to some body and immical to others One who is equally bebared to all boings is fırıls the true observer of religion of abstinence from all sins" ·38 TEZ CULT 02 ALIK94 It is of these instructions contuded in tho Jarn scriptures that a Jarn monk has to kecp himselt quite alool from violence or force of any kind and open in tho griest of situations he cannot take recourso to them for the protection of his brother nonh or crenn nun Ho has been taught to culture 2 spirit of non violence cron against tho worst form of aggressor and death to lum is not defent of the low of non-violence is preserved For lum rruqurshed 19 lio who falls from lus row in critical moments and not on who sacriticus his life for its she Hug 19 the stertest victory who dies for the cause of Alımsa Ptople will say hon canuon riolent person sco barbarities committed before his ches? IIo inust interfero to protect the wenher in the combat This is the practical side of themsa Othorwise hon Ahimsa an actire force Jainism makes it clear that perpetration of barbarities beforo one 8 oyes does not mil o one sinful provided ho does not countcnance 16 To co operato sath açgreskor 19 also violence according to Jainism It lage greatest emphasis on non cooperation with Imsa and tho entiro strength of Ahimsa lies in this spirit of non co operation It is quite dificolt, if not impossible, to change the leart of man and make him soe wrong in his deeds by use of force and unless the beart is changed the barbarity exists Is it possible to stop barbarity without mental change ? So long as tho seed exists, the treo cannot be said to huvo buon uprooted It is with this frame of mind that Jainism preaches complete calmness of mind even in most orcitin, Dircumstances It torchos to throw moral spfluence of the purest chricter and whero it fulg to act, Ja1918m ol opinion that physical force cannot be of ·THE CULT OY ABIUSA 89 any &Tail It is a mattor of every day occurrence that application of force towards & cruel person always fosters bitterness in his mind To engender feelings of hatred, anger or wrath by use of force is itself violence and a votary of complete Ahimsa cannot be a party to commission of Himsa in any form It has been said "सरिसो होई OTTU OFT AFFL a whiê"- "one who fights anger with anger 18 himself in the category of the fallen and fools" To resist force with force 18 to put Ghee in burning fire Fire of Anger can be quenchod only by calmness of mind a gū FIE - Conquer anger by amity-1s the commandment of Lord Mahavira There can be affinity only between nphiles "Likes repel, unlılos attract" This is not only & law which governs the physical world but also upplies in the field of human psychology To eradicate violence, nonviolence is the only remedy Blood stains cannot bo remored by blood--"सरोही स्यू सरडयो पीताम्बर लोही म्यु केम धुपावे रे ?' Barbarism and blood-shed cinnot be eradicated by barbarism and blood shed in its turn Ahimsa is fight against otil propensities This fight is invisible but its salue cannot be underrated only for that An Ahimsah may be quite passive so far as oater foes are concerned but he is ever vigilant and active in eradicating tho innor foes Thus Ahimsa is quite potential It 18 the greatest fighting force against all erils Whoerer handles this weapon of Ahimsa has to remain ever-active in his life. It 18 only on account of this vehement strugglo infolved in the internal battle that it has been called the highest VIotory-'परमो जाओ' ·40 TIL CULT OY UTKBA (2) Now lot us come to the socond case whero the protector 19 a complete Ahimsah bat the protected is either partially Ahımsal or not at all so А mouso boing attacked by & cat, fly is caught in a spider's web what should & complete non violont person do? Tho question of change of heart does not arise hero The answer 19 quite simple and easily deducible from what has alrendy been discussod in detail above It is no Ahimsa to smite one nod protect the other If the cat 18 starred to death and the mouse is saved it is only sbifting the incidence Sympathy on one side coincides with apathy on the other Pue se'igion of votary of Akersa 18 to remain indifferent in stici circumstances Ho has no right to BAVO One at the cost of another Why should be causo starvation to the cat and the spider and save the mouse and the fly at their cost ? Why should he be so concerned for the one and not at all for the other? Why shoula tbere be any distinction between the lives of different beings in the eves of & non violont person ? "He should be the protector of all and cruel to none (पिहिया सपस्ता तिमिहेण तायो। 79 frenteng 4 ) This is the preaclip, of Lord Mahadu a then why should ho be inequitable ? It may be argued that intention is the main thing In the above instances the intention is to protect the mouse or the fly and not at all to cause starvation to the cat or tbo spider? Then wby should these acts be treated as aot of violonce ? The answer 18 very simple Sarnt Bhicanje has very wittingly remarked "A mop had a brord He put it on the ·TAL CULT 07 HDISA 41 throat of a pain and began to move it to and fro When he was asked not to kill the person he remarked 'I am not hilling the man I am simply testing the sharpness of the sword' Is not this man a murderer? Similarly, wbatover may be the intention, one who causes the starvation of the cat or the spider is a sinner A question may arise Suppose 2 person is distributing corns among famine-strichon people and the distributor asks & votary of Ahimsa as to what he thinks of his action Whether it 18 meritorious or sinful : What should be the reply of the votary of Ahimsa ? Avotny of Ahim84 is sometimes on the horns of a dilemma He 18 sometimes bets een two fires Lord Alahadıra has specifically instructed that a votary of Ahimsa should keep himself silent on such occasions He should not say that it is a meritorious act because it is his duty to see that he does not consent to the killing of any being whether moving or not moving Similarly he should not say that the act is sinful because he would then be justrumenul preventing the distribution of alıns to the hungry people Those who praise the gift are accessory to the killing of corn life Those who forbid it deprive o hers of the means of subsistence A rotary of Ahimsa should keep himself sleut and save himself from being exposed to sin either way in There is a charming story in Panchalantı a which berutifully depicts the Jain theology and for making our VIOT-point more clear we quote the same here "Three Sadhus were peforming austerities on the bank of a nyer They acquired marvellous power on account of ·THZ CULT OF ALMA thoir austero penances and their bowls & blankets became fired in the sky A crane cams there and stood with one leg on tho earth and tho other uplifted as if in meditation Soon w fish was seen and the crane picked it up with his beab At this sight one of the Sadhus began crying out "Protect! Protect the fish No sooner these words were uttered the bowls and blanket of the Sadhu fell down from the sky The austere life was destroyed The second Sadhu saw this and thought that as tho first Sadhu asked to protect the fish, his psychuo power was lost so attempt should be made to see that the fish 18 not protected Hafiag thought this he began to shout'do not bare the fish--do not sare it !" As soon as these words were uttered his bowl and blanket also fell down The third Sadhu baw this and thought it is harmful to try either way Let mo remain neutral Having thought this he kept bimself absorbed in meditation His bowl and blaplet remained fixed in the sky as before The substance 10 one who does not get himselt interested in act of sympathy or apathy his oligion lives permanently and one who loses his equapimity by engaging himself in the activity of protecting or not protecting he loses his religion too Saint Bhicanje bas very nicely Bard "There can be no prety in acts involving Himsa and no Timsa in acts involring piety As Sun and shadow aro ditterent so also the swful acts and the meritorious acts are different ·IIE CULT OF HIMSA Ahimsa to be a virtue must be ona dultered with Himsa As the East and West 1e two directions cannot meet, in the same way meroy is where there is no Himsa The entire citadel of Jainism is built ou mercy Those who soek after truth will find ample evidence on the point If merit acorues out of acts of violence then Gheo must also be expected to come out of churning the water" (3) Now we come to the third case where the protector is partially Ahimsah and the protected is completly Ahimsah Even in this case the basic principles to be applied are the same Even for the protection of a completo observer of Ahimsa, if recourse is talon to Himsa it is sinful and not at all meritorious No protection is mentorious whiob is not in keeping with the religious prinoiples of a complete votary of Ahimsa and which slackens, the spirit of completo renonciation Suppose Sadhu is thirsty and is on the verg of death Being a complete Ahimsah he cannot partahe of living water If some body comes and offers him suoh water to drink he cannot be called non-violent as he is causing death to water-lives and also inducing the Sadhu to fall from his vow of complete Ahimsa Similarly if any one ereots a house, monastery, shrine or temple for the residence of a Sadhu or devotee of complete Ahimsa, he is guilty of the sin of violence as Earth, Water etc and moving lives lille small insects are killed in such action Benevolent deeds involving injury to living beings even when directed to benefit a completely non-violent person are sinful A true votary of complete Ahinsa will never make himself a party to these binful acts by enjoying or making use of the things prepared ·TIX CULT 07 AROKO for thein Vhon nots of benerolonro insolving injury to small beinga are sinful the protection of a Sadku by killing the onemy or the cruel animal cannot bat bo the same A Sadhu cannot oulogise any of the above acts I he does so bo falls from his vow of complete Ahimsa It may be argued that the small insects and animals aro beings of a lower pline Cansing injury to them may be sinful but the merit accruing out of protection offered to human beings especially to pious saint is greator and outwoighs the sin inourred So ultimately the act of proteotion 15 virtuous inspite of the little Hemea involved in the same So Jainism regards all beings as possessed of the smo conscious soul There is no difference between the soul of one-organned and the five-organded rational beings killing of the one for the sale of the other cannot be called meritorious 11 Any sepse A buman being aseuming superiority puts gronter value to his own comforts but this 18 only selfishness of the person enjoying the pro cliged position According to Jainism no act can be meritorious af it ipvolves Himsa An not cannot be both sinal and meritorious at the same time Ag milk cipnot come out by ohuraing the water sım laris no merit can acciue out of n. violont aut however insignificant it may be in 7 lay man's eyes The principle of Anekantbad or many foldness of viows or angles has no applica whatsoever in these c1908 A seed cannot bear two kids of fruits, similarly an act while being sinful cannot be mentorioue at the same time Saint Bbitanji has one place rery wittingly emarhed Suppose & Brahmin hag & small bandherchio ·TER CULT OY AXSA 45 Some body comes and spatches it from him and puts it in the pocket of a nich Bridegroom going to his father-in-law's house What will you think of the act ? Will not the person doing so be called 7 plunderer ? Similarly a person who hills boings for the comforts of a human being or a piously suint 18 murderer if he does injury to the lives of even small beings Thus it is clear that hilling does not find favour with Jannsım Cven in circumstances where the protected persons completely non violent and 18 / pious saint benefaotor of mankind and great (4) Now we come to the fourth case where the protected and the protector are on the same plane not as complete Ahimsals as in the first cise but as being partial Ahimsals oi no dhimsals it all According to Jai1818m a person who does not renounce Himsa at all is called Asanyamı or completely unrestrained and one who renounces Himsa to some extent is called Sanyamasanyamı or partially restrained The worldly activities of an unrestrained or parturlly restrained person are all sinful and violent as they are directed towards material achievements and not towards spiritual advancement Whooter protects a violent person supports his violent existence and sinful Jainism says "Dont live unrestrained life Neither have love for the uprestrained life of others If anything is to be loved it is religion and the renouncing of sinful activities 16 » Jainion regards non-violence as the eternal law and even in cases where both the protected and protector are Ilamsaks tho same law is allowed to provail ·46 TR CULT OY ALEKSA It says not 'Death is an eternal lasy It is a stern reality which is sure to be fulfiled some day or other Thero 18 nothing therefore to be worried at the approach of death which must come sooner or later whether one wishes it or It may come 29 & datural event in due couise or as catastrophy suddenly It makes no difference bor it comes Chea why should it be feared and not faced calls There is nothing to shudder at the approach of a certain fact One should not get angry or annoyed 7t the sight of barbarities and murder and indulge one self in the very 106 wluch is revolting to one's own sontiment when committed by othors It muy be asked a house holder has parents, children, svife attendants and other male and femalt members Hos should he bebare lien asssulted as in Noolbnis and Bihar Such calamities themselves prove the futility of Tolent methods Protection by violence 18 out of question when attacked by an orervholming number say thing can offer protection in such acuto circamstances, it is Ahimsa alono Virtue of non-violence should be deinonstrated by utter calmness and complete fearlessness Moral influence should be thrown If that proves futile denth should be met with calmness as a matter of course Prayer for self purification should be resorted to No attachment for the body should be maintained Hatred malice or violence has been declared sipful even in these circumstances There should be no panic no betrayal of each other but pious and ennobling religious songs shruld be sting to keep the morn} strength bigh This 19 the true religion which should guide the relations even between persons who are not devoted to don-violence in fall or oven partially und if they ·THX CULT 07 AHTISA themselves morally so real as not to be able to desist from wolent retaliation, it is their choice But it is po act of Ahimsa or an act ennobling the soul and causing merit There are thousands of acts which worldly people do reciprocally and for mutual advantage but all such acts cronot be labelled as religious There are thousands of acts which may be thought necessary to be done for co operative life and protection of common interest but their sanction sbonld not be sought in religion A man builds a palatial house at the cost of innumerable small live, will it be called an act of religion simply because it adds to bis comfort and the comfort of the members of his family? As there is no religion in errecting a building yet it is errected with a feeling of personal comfort, similary acts of communal and national growth and worldly prosperity may be undertaken from a sense of reciprocal feeling of belongiog to the same stoch, nation or community It is not necessary that they should have their inspiration in religion Jainism does Dot support acts of 'Himsa whatever may be the aim for which they are undertal en Ahimsa and outward influence Is not There is a Butcher who is taking goats for slaughter A rich person offers money and releases the goats Sympathy here does not coincide with apatby to any body thig act of protection mentorius ? According to Jainsım there are fire cardinal dins (1) to bill beings, (2) to tell lies, (3) to steal others property, (1) to indulge in sexuri intercourse, and (5) to keep and enjoy wealth and earthly possessions Tunism says that to ·45 FRZ CLIT OF A5885 commit any of the king in any of the rays to protect others 19 sinful and no sort of merit accrucs To mahe the truth of this general principle kolf erident we shall five hore some illustrations A thief runs away with stolen properties The owner follotre him and tries to trace him out While in this pursd he meets tro persona tho knows the wbereabouts of the thief On the otper's asl ing the rhnreabouts of the thief, one of tlu person keeps silent but the other gives him a wrong direction The owner goes atray and misses the thiet and consequently bis valizables It is apprrent that the first person does not incur 105 sin as he rofrains from falsehood or harmful truth but what about the second person who gives the wrong information and misguides the owner Is this act of bis meritorious ? A severe famine breaks out Poor people are seen dying ont of hunger A hind of philanthropic persona plunder the grineries of a well to do person and feed the poor Is this nct religious on the part of the plundeiers ? A couple is passing through a desert A lustful person attacks the husband and tries to kill him The ledy requests the assailant to desist from murder and just to save her husband voluntarily offers her bode to that person Is this act meritorions ? 10115? If the answer 19 in the negative, Jainism asks hoy can the act of giving the gorts by offering wealth be meritor- A rotary of complete Ahimsa is also a completo renouncur of wealth Possession of any kind is incompatible with the yoTY of Ahimsa Whoprer gives wealth to others ·THE CULT OF AR154 fo commits the sin of Parigi aha as he helps other in enjoying tho samo By giving money to a butcher the noh man enables him to purchase a greater number of goats and to make a good turnover rapidly This intensifies the act of slaughter In no circumstances it puts a stop to its recurrence in future This is supporting Limsa indirectly How can an act which multiplies the commission of Himsa be called meritorious ? To offer Parugraha is as sinful as the comm asion of the other sins and a person should not try to savo others by commission of sids himself According to Jainism sios follow the doer and no one is exonorable from the friuts thereof A poppy seed cannot be expected to bring forth a mangoe tree Similarly sinful acts cannot be expected to yield virtuous results even if they result in the protection of certain beings It 18 no religion to save lives by the use of tbréat, force, alluroment of wealth or any other sinful infuence or methods This is simply causing the degradation of one's Owo soul for the supposed good of others Ahimsa, a virtue of the heart Ahimsa is a religion of the heart and it cannot be forced upon anybody To try to compel or oblige others to be non-violent is itself violence and a votary of Anrisa cannot take recourse to the same Ahsmsa is a creed It requires inner recognition and purity of feelings No one Cut be Ahimsah without inner appreciation and deep faith in the virtue ot non-violence Saint Bhicanje bas rightly remarked There are seven great addictions according to Jainism VIA (1) Gambling, (2) Meat eating (3) Drinking ·50 1HP CULI OP ANIMA liquors, (4) Visitivg houses of il-nuo, (6) Hunting, (6) Stealiog and (7) Adultery Any person who dosists forcibly anybody even from these great vices 19 a sibuer according to Jainism To force anything upon a person giinst his will is violence pure and simple One who obstructs the sense pleasures of addicted persons, ou curbs their desire a unst their will, aoquires the karınas infatuating the evul A person can be made virtuous only by the change of heart and moral influence No one can be forced to be good Non violence of the heart is the essential foundation of a noble life Non violence of the body is of no avail if the heart goes on hilling and there 18 do mind and will to be non-violent Non violence of the person in fetters is the aon violeuce of the unfalling and the forced and is not at all purifying There was a butcher named Kalsaukarıka in the times of Lord Maharrra He used to slaughter one hundred goats every day He was so cruel as nobody could induce him to stop slaughter even for a day One day Emperor Srenika went to pay bis obeisance to Lord Mahadır. A leper also went to pay homage to the Lord After paying his respects the leper said that it is better for Sreniha to live lon: When asked about the inner significance of this utterance of the loper, Lord Dlakavıra explained to Sreniha that after his death he was to go to hell So it is better that he should live long as be was in a happy state in his present life Having beard this about bug future life Srenska became quite sad and began to ask the Lord if there was any way out frora the foretold future life Lord Mahavira said that it was possible only if Kalsauharıka stopped slaughter for å day Srenika was quite glad to hear this as he thought it very easy He ordered to call the butcher and asked him ·THE CİLT UT AHIMSA 51 was to desist from slaughter for a day The butcher not willing and did not consent Sremla got angry and ordered to bind bim hand and feet and put him in a soll After the day was over Srentha went over to Lord Aahjoita nain and told him that butcher did not kill any goat that day and that he was lucky ruough to avert his fato Lord Wahadıra bard 'you are doomed for hell It is true that the bucolier bad no goats to kill but what of that? Ho took filth off Ins body, converted the same into 100 goats by the help of water and billed the one by one with bus finger Though his hand and feet were not free got his wind was virulently active and killed goats in unagination The butcher did not desist but he was forced to desist from physical violence The story amply illustrates that there is no abstinence without consent or consciousness Abstinenco is what is of one's one choice and free-wall It cannot be imposed > Why is Ahimsa a Virtue ? Ahimsa is a virtuous attitude of mind Lord Mahavira has said "As water passes away froin a high level so the sins of one who is placed on tbe terrace of non violence goes of the soul' Killing of others is the greatest sin and non violence the supreme virtue Lord Mahadıra bas placed Ahimsa as the first among the virtues to be cultivated for the purification of soul He las called it the ennobliog sell restraint तथिम पढम ठाण महायोरेण देसिग अहिंसा निउणा दिट्ठा सब भूएसु सयमा ।

·52 the cult Op ARIKA According of Zin it is a firm island in a surging ocean and the only resort in the fronping sea lo has called Ahimsa 1. tho highest knowledge of the seers--the quintessonco of their wisdom Ilimea is the root of all vices It is hostility and Inch of goodwill against the living creatures It 18 ill treatment of the worst form It is a cruso of great fear &DC brooding ground for enunity Ahinsa is, thereforo, a virtue in itself and its value is self determined It is a guaranteo of good bebafiour from one's own self and being the highest sell culture is most ennobling It 18 why Loid Jahaotra has said 'Be non violent for thy oua sahe The good of your own soul requires you to be non violent It is no obligation or charity towards any body" People say shimsa 18 & great virtue as it offers protection to other being thimsa is meritorious on account of its protective value It is meant for protecting others Lord Mahavira has on the other hand said that Ahimsa 19 & great virtue as it is abstinence from the sin of Himsa or hurting others It is an antidote to self pollution and an abandonment of evil tendencies One who tabes the yow to abstain himself from violence and does all in his power to stick to it, 18 non violent even though lives are billed On the otherband a person who is negligent in observing his yow striotiy or does not take the vow to abatain froin any'injury or for whom non injury is only a inatter of chance and not of intentional rolition is sinful even z no lives are billed There is no relation as that of cause and effect betweon Ahimse and saving of lives Whether lives are killed or not killed & person who does not consciously and carefully observe hiş Fow is guilty of the ·TRR CUIT OY HIUSA 38 offence of Himsa Similarly A person who consciously obserres bis row is not bound by any larmns eyon though lives are killed It has been n cely said मरदुध जियदुजीयो, अयदाचारस्सणिन्छिदा हिंसा। पयदस्सणथि धो, हिंसामित्तेण समिदस्स ॥ Again it has been said "A careless soul under the influence of passions, first fojures the self, through the self, whether there 16 subsequently an injury caused to another being or not is immaterial » > यस्मात्सकपाय सन् हत्यात्मा प्रथममात्मनाऽऽत्मानम, पश्चाज्जायेत न घा हिला प्राण्यन्तराणा तु । जीय घहो अप्परहो जीवदया अप्पणो दया होइ तासय्य जीव हिंसा परिचत्ता अत्तकामहि । From what has been and above it 18 quite clear that Jain Ahimsa Inys emphasis on purification of the soul by abstinence from Hima and is not concerned whether lives are asted or not It preacher virtue for virtue's sale It preaches Ahimsa for the sale of saying the soul from the sin of Himsa and not for protecting other beings who may or may not be protected Lord Mahavira has said that a person who steadily evolves the virtue of Ahimaa attring completeness day by day like the waling bright moon on the full moon day and a person who developes violence gradually Fanes and vanishes in dari ness like the waping moon on Ahimsa wipes off the sins and purifies the soul Himse taints it with vice and darkens it Ahimsa 13 an essential virtue for tbe upliftmont of the soul Hunga palls it down and soils at the dark moon day ·81 THI CULT OF ARTA Purification of soul is the highest nim nnti Ahimsa 19 mfallible means to this end It is, therelore for the monobling of the soul that the colturn of Ahimsa 18 sentin Saint Thiranje hne very nicely derit on tho subject 15 follows "People 627 string of life 18 the crust and removing of Aing is the effect There can be no cliect without cause How can there he merits in themed without the C71150the consequential rating of beings' Thorn who argue tlus sro errong No doubt remoring of Ain in the effect hut sit tho offret af $nringe lives Te it I certaintr thnt no liter will bo lilled aite; & perenn becomes completely non violent? On it to snid that no lites are hilled hy a completely non violent Sadnú while walling, standing or doing such other acts ? Jotas nlways die of their nun Karmns and a person who 19 non violent in all its mode jf not responsible for their death even though crued through the instrumentality of bus bodo Due to full felt restrunt and purity of heart the elements of Timea are abaent Life long fast has been prescribed 14 religious act by Lord 3lahatira and death is a spre outcome of this life long fast but can the act be called violent for this rerson? A wiched person lites on his wickedness and tries to save himself dar and night 18 it Ahimsa fimpls bocanso life is saved ? Ahimsa generates the feeling of equanimity or of looking all beings is one's own sog) It 18 1 restraint upon anger pride, deceit and greed It is a shyt door agripst si9 It destroys the old Aine It is on arrount of this purifying infinence that Ahimsa has heen regarded as a great virtue The removing of bins is due to this purification of heart and 15 not due to the protection, if any, indirectly extended to other beings Protection to beings may be one of tho resultants but ·50 THE QUIT OP AHIMSA it is not with this view that the voir of Ahimsa is undertaken It 18 wrong to suggest that the merit of Ahimsa rests on the Ahimsa is a virtue protection it offers to other beings on account of its intrinsio quality and purifying character Suppose a person tales a row not to cut any treo The tree is saved Apother takes yow not to steal Others property is savea Religion does not conbist in the siving of the tree or the protection afforded to the realth of others The religion 18 somow hero beyond-st 19 18 the self-restraint in posed on one's inclution to be cruel to trees or to rob others of their wealth As eul propensities are restricted and as attachment is removed the soul puufies itself and the religion lies in this self purification To make the matter moro clear another oxample many be given Suppose there is a pros The Lover of the pros tales upon himself the vow of not visiting houses of ill fame Prog herrs of thus tries to persuade her lover to give up the vow but he stichs to the sume inspite of all temptations The pros becomes disappointed and commits sticide by throwing lierself in a well Will the lover bo responsible for this suicido of the pros? How can a person who has taken the Vow of Brahmacharyya for betterment of his soul be held responsible for death If he 18 not sinful, how 15 & person viituous beciuse of the saving of the treo or the wealth of somebody? To ałstain from sio 19 in itself virtuous Religion does not depend on what happens to other beings--whether others are benifitted or harmed It depends on how far & person is harmless in his ovo conduct and behaviour There are many violent acts where there is no death involved But & rotary of Ahinsa has to give up all such acts even though apparently no death occurs eg acts of mental violonce IN ·60 TIEP CULT OP ANWBA How for an Ahimsak is benefactor It is a I have already said at one place that & violent person injures himself through self It has been oud in Jain Soriptures that even a cnt-throat enemy does not do that harm which wiched person does to himsell br his wickedness As Himga is harmful in itself so Ahimsa 18 & Tirtue in itself It is self benefolence A person who becomes a rotary of Ahimga benefits himself most mere vanity on the part of a rotary of Ahimsa to claim that he is a protector or benefactor of othera It is not in 1118 power to benefit or protect others It ho is instrumental in such sets it is by the dictates of the fate of others and an Ahimsah cannot tako pride in the simo Ho cannot claim any credit for it As Jroas die of their own Karmus 80 also thes live or are protected by their own A third person cannot do or undo their fate One can simply refrain himsoll from Vicious acts and thosoever does so saves his soul from being vitiated and is no more responsible for deaths occuring all round him According to Taipigm only that person is benefactor who saves his soul or the soul of others from Bing TO Te ono's sonl from hins 19 sell benevolence and to 6250 others from sins 18 philanthropy A person who effects change in the heart of others by noble preachings tod couverts them to the cause of Ahimsa is certainly a great beuelictor ag he sales or rescues a habitual sinner He is the true shTiour It has been very ppropriately sud सयमि पि जियरोप, तेण इहे घोमिझो अमाचाओ इपि सत्तं योहा जिणधयाणे 7 ZRT, 2 ·57 THE CULT OF ANTHER "A person who converts a single unhappy person to the preachings of Lord Jina, cruses 1 proclamation of nou-injury to be announced throughout the three worlds” Saint Bhicanje his rightly said “There had been iofinite Aribants in times p2st u bo practised and preached the law of Ahimsa They could benefit only those who heard and embraced the ides of Ahimsa at their feet They could not do any benefit to otlier orentures of all the six kinds who may be said to have been survived only to reap the fruits of their own actions Jovas lite infinitely Death is only a change of form Jivas pass through transmigrations and reap the fruits of their own actions Life is not at all valuable if it is not for the obsert unco of religion Protection 18 of no value if it means only continuance of & sinful life Saints and seers never try to protect or help the protection of sinſul lives Jainism says that right knowledge, right farth, right conduct and nght austerities these four form the path of Liberation Whoever preaches the noble four-fold path 18 true benefactor A person who is taught these paths is also benefited as his soul is ennobled There is no otuer person or being who may be sud to be protected Lord Nemz Nath gave up the idea of marriage with Rajimalı The animals brought for marriage feast were saved Lord Nemz Nath saved himself from the sin to which us would bare been a pirty bad he consented to marriage but what good may he said to have done towards the goats tbat were saved ? Tbey renained to be killed by somebody else He thought of bis self and self alone when he uttered "the killing of these screaming beings foi marriage feast will not be for the benifit of my soul" 17 ·TITE CLIT OP UWA जइ मझ कारणाए. हम्मति सुयाजिया। न म एय तुम्सिसं पग्लगेगे भविस्मः ।। War and Ahimsa War 100 Ahimsa aro contlicting things Vhero there talar there is no Alims and micro thoro 14 dhimsa there van bo no ar Ag var je 31 annihuntion or pegation of Ahimsa 16 18 nerer blissful or meritorions nach less commendable Jainisin 128 always and as a matter of principle abhored war There may bure been 7 great number of instances where Jain lay men took part in wars or woro themselves tho sponsors tliereof but they never treated ware is religious but tool their 9ct 18 ultimately harmlal to the cause of the Soul To take part in war has been for them 7 matter of deep atonement Lord Reshata, was the first religious prescher or Tirthant ora of the Jains He had one hundred sods The oldest was Bharat Lord Krishana before he ioitinted bruselt into the holy order of nscotics distributed his kingdom amongat his 100 song Afterwards Bharat aspired to conquer all the six parts of the world and asled kus brothers to obey hıs sway and to hand over to do their part of the hingdom Bahubalt zefused to do so and so also the remainias 18 brothers However the 98 brothers went to pay homage to Lord Rishava and by the by talked to liim about the great injustice that Bharat was going to perpetuate agaibst thom all Lord Reshava said This Health and kingdom 19 transient The ontire Earth With all its wenith is not sufficient to quench the thirst of greed Attachment is also Q8 great a 210 28 greed Do not bear cny attachment to your ·59 TIE CULT 03 ARINS Wealth and hingdom Gire пр them all voluntarily and surrender your souls to yourselves Do not allow yourselves to be conquered by others, for the sale of wealth and property The pipety-eight sons of Rishaba were convinced of tbe truth and become initiated into the holy order lezring all their wealth and property behind A great war was averted by the non-violent preachings of Lord Rtshava Attachment and hatred are the two great causes of var To be patriotic to one's own nation or country to the extent of exclusion of all considerations for other nations or countries is attachment and to be indifferent to the rights or welfare of other nations Or countries in arersion or hatred To think always of solf aggrandisement at the cost of others or to exploit others for the sake of onos apliftment is the root cause of all wars Turthankars have always preached for the eradication of these two great evils They have always preached "keep aloof from attachment and hatred' Nemy was a Kshatriya Prince of Anthrla Не renounced his hingdom and wanted to take to holy order At that time a Brahmin approached him and said "Oh King! You are a Kshatriya Prince Show your mettle first You shonla first conquer the kings--who are still unsubjugated And then only should you think of initiation' Nemt replied जो सहस्सा सहस्साण सगामे दुजए जिणे एग जिपज्ज अप्पाण एस से परमो जो "Greater is the victory of biru, who conques his only Soul than of him who conquers thousands of valient foes in a fierce battle " ·60 FILE WIT OP ADISA सुह मेहए ono अप्पाणमेर जुझाहि किं ते जुन्भेण यज्झमी अप्पाषामेव अपाण जस्ता Fight with thy own self What is the use of fighting with exterorl foes ? Be happy hy conqueriog tly soul thvself" 110m what 1138 been said abore, it is apparent that Jamuisin has regarded the conquering of passions 1s of the most fierce battle and the success in such bettlo as the suprune victory It has always denounced external war for a #227317 'Di wbat 1vail is to fight orternallyhas been repeated so many times in Jain Soriptures Lord Mahavira was the 21th Tharlhankara or the last religious preacher possessing the supremo huowledge and flourished about three thousand years back He was the greatest votary of Akunsa of bis time and is still unsurpassed as an ttocompromising cbampion of Ahamsa He has said in ono of his discourses कोहो पोइ पणासेर माणो यिणय नासा माया मित्ताणि नासेड रोमा सन् यिणासणो "Anger destroys the cordul relations pride destrojs hunulity, decert destroys fuendelup and greed destroys every thing" No 000 ca doubt that 'nger or feelings of wrath and condemnation, pride or false senso of prestige, deceit or mutual betrayal of trust, and greed or unsatiable desire for self a grandivenient have brought about the colossal destruction under biol the present world is so helplessly gioaning ·THE CIT OF AJUSA el Lord Mahaon a hus further said उपममेण हणे कोह, माण महधया जिणे मायमल्जयभावेण रोभ सतोसओ जिणे "Conquer anger by quietness pride by humility, deceit by sımploits and greed by contenmont" Chimpass, contentment, humility and simplicity are the four great virtues and there is no doubt that a nation wide culture of the Swe would lead to universal brotherhood and permanent peace of the world Jainism has alriss suid that ar cinnot lead to perce It can only lead to war Enemity can not bo calmed dono by edemity in return Tire cannot ertingaish fire Inonuty can only be pacified br virtue of Ahimsa In Gila, Lord Krishna sud to Arjuna "in c18e vou will fall in battle field rou would attain kierreu" Thua arring Krishna exhorted sijuna to fight हतो घा प्रापस्यमि म्वर्ग जित्या वा भोक्ष्यसे महीम तम्मादुत्तिस्ट को तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चय A contrast to the above suggestion of Lord Krishna is fouod in Bhagrat: Sutra of the Jains Once Golama, the foremost desciple of Lord Aſahavira ished him—"Nany people sar that those who are killed in battle field attam heaven-how far is this true ? Lord Mahadsra replied that, it is not true and then expluned how people came to utter this He suid "In V8183l1 theie vis person aimed Taruna who was the grandson of Nay He 119 layman derotee of great affluence and used to fast every third div - ·09 *It crit OP ANITA Then the Rattam what war broke out he was forced to join Lire little under the order of the kng and lis erbrael He prols nged his fasting period belole joining the battle in of wenea of the foresaid order Then he sat in les chariot, DF tour the following con "I will strihe onis the per on whio tubes me first I will not atrilo or kill others Ifter gom, to the bustle field be 148 confronteel with a strong arrior but lorernaiped frin and find not tall hum po long as HA 19 not attached first In thus ang Taruna sau seserciz wonnded sod at last is hien dertli seamcad to drev near be rotund to lopolmess took his erat so n solitary bed of dried kusha frase and facing bunsold towards the cast uttered the followmg nalutation "Obalfunco to thr Arihantos obeisance to the Liberated nne, abersanes to religion preceptory obrisanco 10 the reli, tous herds and obeisanre to all the Sadhus I offer 12 bumble respect from the place to the Lord Vay lio acerpt my humble respect from the place binen long I was placed only in five gross to 18 Non I the to life-long great vows" Finuing exid this ho put off his armour, quilt and AYTONB and died peacefully vfter attooing for 1114 sina A friend of Tarxna 178 niso ratllm in tlie ittle field When he svw the younded Paruna retirin, from the battle fiola lie also followed suit and said "whaterer rows iny friend Taruna his embraced the same are also to me In this is both the trienils courted the death very calmly When gode 87 that Paruna and his friend were dead they Apriabled scented water orer their dead bodies and nleo slimwered flowers of five colours The gods celebrated H ·THE CULT OP AHIMSA 89 the occasion with songs and music People there say this all and began to say 'Those who are wounded or billed on the battle field are born as celestial beings 01 Devas' But Grutamrl thuis is not tho correct inferenca The truth is that Tar una and his friend were born in heaven on account of their reluctance to prrticipate in the war, and then vigilance to abstain from violence and cruelty to the extent possible oven whon forced to join it They did not attun heaven on account of their death on the battle-fiold but on account of thoir inner abhorrence to cruelty in war of strong Ahimsa as a mass religion Ahimsa is understood to be an unpractical roligion It is regarded 18 something wbich cannot bo implanted or grown in human hearts Violence is the law of naturc--the stronger living on the werker-18 the universal law Th18 universal 1950 cannot be replaced by iny other order without grave danger to socurity of human life and property Ahimsa can never be a universal religion This is the general notion wbich has taken the shape more or less of a strong superstition unsurmountable even by men reasonings Lord Mahavira has on the other hand called at the eternal law He has named it the religion of all Ahimsa 18 cupable of being made & universal religion by its intrinsic morit Even modern thiphers say "It is the weapon of the bravest, and what is more, it is the bravery of spirit that is the requisito thing Thus it permits everyono, man, woman and child, the strong as well as the weak in body, to arail of it, provided one is stout-hearted and firm of faith and devoid of fear" Wisli is the father of the thought It is our devotion to violence and lack of inner urge to eradicato it that believe Ahimsa 18 ·TIE COLT OT 40584 na practical precept People have become akin and addicted to life of violence to such an extent that thoy think it impossible to convert themselves to the concept of Ahimsa Dr Katru t as rightly remarked "Violenco has stolen a long murch during thousand of years There are so many miscon ceptions to be removed Non-Violence 19 unintelligible to so miny To somo lt 19 a counsel of perfection, fit for rishis only To others it 15 stupid, there is scemingly such a child ho faith in violonce People have becomo totally blind to stem realities of lilo and its value They have forgotten to contemplate on the reil wolfare of the soul and are thus deprived of the meat inspiration to noble lifo ich such contemplatioa offers It is been truly and "It is necessary to roviso some of our preraılıng notions about Civilisation and happiness There is n direct relation between an onge-loving life and Violence Deeds of colossal magaitude and pomp, and a lifo of dazzlıog prospority and luxury cinnot be raised and maintruned without violence It is a mstale to rogard those as marhs of civilisation The present structura of society puts a definite premium on violence, in the circumstances, how crn Ahimsa be inade a religion of the masses ? The solution is simple but atronuous It depends on right kind of trainiog und discipline and our zeal to put forth incassint endortours to educate the masses on proper lines Oar ways of life have got to be remodelled the outlook of life has got to be radically changed The present theory of relative value which assigos to materialism a higher place than spiritualism bas got to bo recustod Religion and morality are to be asagned their right place in the hearts of humanity This ·TRE 85 CULT OF ARNISA is possible only by completely ororhauling tho presont system of education, nry by replacing the suine by a system which would crente pious hearts not intelligent minds only, which would teach men nobler qualities of heart and purify their innor fcelings and not only sharpon the intellect, which may not produco good cagineers, dootors, sviators barristors, eto, but which would produce men chincter and mous hearts Once this is done, Ahimsa wall laro its right place in the hearts of men It will begin to appear them to be the only natural course of life Dr Kitzu his rightly remarked or of puro "I personally think that the ideal of non violonco is not uarcnlızablo On the contrary, I think that it can be reached, and thirt hamanity, after the esperience of the horrors of two world wars in the course of a quarter of a contury, will willingly strive after it But to attain that goal kro shall hzre to educato public opinion in its favour, moro particularly by mdıcılly planning the whole field of education on the basis of non violonce We must begin with the child and mould the mind of the coming generation accordingly! To illo Ahinsa & religion of the masses, strenuous cilorts should bo made to remove tho misconceptions about 1t Right visions are to bo implanted in Fory heart by night kind of education Young minds must be trained up on the idcologs of shimsa Jhinism prescribes tuany important rules of disciplino and mental training for a person hbo aspiros to be don-violent A darrersal adoption of theso basic precepts will go z long wav in creating mental atwosphere for the growth of a non violent life To suzamerizo these teachings imbriei bere ·66 TRE CULT OF AN INSA (1) All lives are as escrod as tho human life Kıllıng of othor lives 19 as sinful as the killing of the human life (2) All souls are in essenca tho emo Tho distivation of body, sense organs knowledge, rico, colour, country, atc, is superficial and b18 no justification for partial trentwant (3) Attrohinont 18 as bad ng batred and contempt Impartiality is the real virtue (1) Death 19 no calamity but a natural eront not extinction but re birth according to one's own action It is not a termigation but a fresh loaso of lifo It is (5) There is no externnl cremy The soul 18 its own friend or enemy By its good actions, it is its friend By its bad actions, it is its anony (0) Denth 16 the diotate of one's owo fato and not tbe deed of others It consists in 17) Religion is tho lugliest bliss Ahimsa, self restraint and penance (8) Religion is precious than life itself A lilo which 18 sacrificed at the alter of religion is always purified and ebnobled (0) Materal prosperity is no prosperity Wealth power and all kinds of inaterial possessions are detrimental to the real happiness of the soul (10) Senso-pleasures are painful in the long ran libe the Kimpak fruit which is espeet in taste ouly but poisonous :3 etteot ·TRE OULT OF AHIMSA 67 (11) As yon salt so you reap Sin always follows the singer It berer looks to the motive of the person but to his actions Whatever may be the purpose and whoever the person for whom & sin 18 committed the doer alone is responsible Bad actions have always bad fruits and good actions always good (19) Human life is the most precious of all lives and most difficult to obtain Tho summum bonum of human life is the oulturo of religion This should not be trified Away The above ideology is essontial for the growth of a right frame of mind As a seed caunot bear fruit in barren land so also the principle of Ahimsa cinnot grow and flourish on a rock bod of outlook based on violence Besides training the young generatı n on the ideology of non-violenco, 1 living faith in the ideal of Ahemsa should bo created by other porns as well Lord Mahavira wanted to spread the ideal of Ahunsa He had to devote his entire life for its eake All lis sermons are fnll of great devotion towards the cause of thimsa And le gave not only raluable ethical germons for mental discipline but gave charming stories and fascinating fictions to educate the people in the Ways of this virtue He lired to instil and inspire a 'feoling of dcop rooted respect for non-violence and non-violent lifo and aroused a feeling of deep indigpation towards riolence of all sorts It was by thus steady and all round process of working within and bringing about the mental change that ho could achieve wonderful success in his mission the ordinary fois but warriors of great fame and hings and Not only ·6S THE CULT OF ALTYA emprrors (f great pionegg fell on his feet and becino derotees to the cluse of himsa Giert dacoits, murderers and blood! barriors ele confeited into staunch advocates of Ahimsa and their expiation for their past crueltios wero exomplars It was the film faith and doep conviction of Lord Alahavira whicle wrought such miracles The miracle of milin, Ahimsa 2 m49 religion is capable of being achioved eren to day provided those who have faith in it, ondcivour unccasingly to infuse the same in others Peoplo aro living in ar ago of great scientific upbearel, wlich has made them all the more sceptical Superstitions born of growing materialism are looming large in the mental Horizon In the circuinstances those who profess Ahimsa as religion have to bear the torch in the midst of lierry storms They must perform their task with Herculean strength They must unceasingly ondcavour by precept and example to crorto a liriog faith in Ahinsa A Lrief sketch of the means to be barnossed for the propagation of the ideal of Ahimsa to urbe at mass religion would be as follo143 1 A sense of lugliest chivalry and pride in deeds of Ahinsa should bo 10calcatcd Thus can bo wikened and desoloped through dcrotron i literature on dhimsa 2 he educationists, the iuthors, plulosophiers, poets and historians all should be cncouraged to bring forth inspiring literature on tho subject The screen the platforin, the schols and trio colleges-all winst be directed by a cominon policy of educatiog the people on the lines of non violence ·TEIE CULT OY AHIMSA 69 2 To re model the social festivals, custoins, etiquettes and mannors 60 as to base the samno on the principle of Ahimsa 3 To bring into light the lives and achievements of all great saints and apostles of Ahimsa and to start ro serroh work on their chievements 4 To set aprrt a particular diy in a year is a day of complete cessation from all worldly activities and observanco of completo fasting, prayor, meditation and expiation of sins Jains observe such 2 day on Bhadra Sud: 4th or 5th as the case may be It is call d Samvatsar or the best day of the your All buvo to obscire fist and dorote themselves to prayer with observance of cclibroj All have to recuptulato the sing committed during the year and bescech for forgive nes with all humbloness and purity of heart The spuit of the observince of this day will be bast understood by rending the following couplets मन्यस्स जीनरासिस्स भारओ धम्मनिहिअनिअचित्तो। सरे समारडता समामि मयस्स अहय पि॥ खामेमि सधे जीने म जीवा समतु मे। मित्ती मे सबभूएसु र मझ न फेणई॥ जन मणेण बद्ध ज ज घायाए भासिस पान। जज कारण क्ग मिन्छा मि दुक्रड तस्स ॥ "With feelings of devotion towards religion and with all internal prets, I beseech forgiveness of all living beings for the sins I liave committed towards them I on my turu also forgive thom"

·70
THE CULT OF AUTUS
'I beseech forgireness of all
Let all beings 1
I have amitr towards all and enmity towards no 1
mo
"Vbatovor bins I may have indulged in mont
Thatorer misdeeds I mar hire done by words of mouth
Whatorer sins 1 inny hire bodils committed-ict all mt:
prove futile-I repent and atone for all ”
5
Ahimsa
State polies must be directed on principles
Dr Katzu suggests
pothung else
The conclusion, in my VIOw, is that in our prescat
onviroumont non violonce can only sucored as a creed and
Just 99 Soviet Rusin made delibornte attempt
to alter the whole structure of society and modily all the
current and nccepted notio is of lam in niture by conscious
state effort, similarly those who beliese in non violence and
non-cooperation 78 the future hopo of bum inity must
acquire power in body politic in oon vuolent ways, and then
endeavour to mal e non violonce the only essential instrument
ol our national policy'

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