Peaceful Co-existence in Jain Ethics
-Prof. (Dr.) Veer Sagar Jain
Jain Ethics is a very wide and deep subject, but here we have to think upon the concept of peaceful co-existence in Jain ethics. This most basic and important need or the wanted thing is the feeling of peaceful co-existence. Today, world has shrunken down and thoughts of a person have been so violent and full of un-peace and arrogance that almost everyone is been sinking in their own oceans of selfishness and want to eat each other. No one cares for anyone’s existence on earth. No one bothers if one is alive or dead. The deadline ot danger has been increased to an extinct where if we don’t care about the co-existence amongst ourselves, everyone will be finished, whole would will got destroyed and not a single person will be saved. According to Jain canonical literature Jain ethics has been divided into two partsfirstly for monks and (sages and secondly for the house-holders (that is Shravak). Here topic is the Peaceful Co-existence in the modern society mainly so that it would like to explain about the second part of Jain ethics that is for the sages householders which is known as Shravakachar. Jain Shravakachar is being explained through dividing it into 12 vows in the Jain Canonicals. simple definition of these 12 vows is given below:1. Ahinsanuvrat (Partial abstinence from violence)- To renounce the violence. Violence is of two types- Mental and physical. Anger, greed etc. passions are mental violence and torturing or killing others is physical violence. 2. Satyanuvrat (Partial observance of truth)- Partial abstinence from telling lies is partial observance of truth. A house-holder does not lies by which as a result the other person has to suffer pain. 3. Achauryanuvrat (Partial abstinence from steeling)- To take anything under the constraint of passions without permission of its owner, is steeling the
householder draws water from a tank or a river and earth from mines without any asking, because he is a partial observer of non-steeling. 4. Brhmacaryanuvrata (Partial abstinence from indulging sex)- Complete abstinence from sex is celibacy. A householder unable to observe complete celibacy. remains satisfied with his own wife or husband, and treat with all other women or men as a mother and sister or father and brother Muni frees himself completely from sexual relation is Drlmacarya Mahavrata. 5. Parigrahaparimanvrat (Limitation of wordly passions)- indulgence to things is Parigraha. It is of two kinds external and internal. The householder is incapable of renouncing all type of parigrahas. Therefore, he should impose a limit to all external possessions. Muni abandons all parigrahas of worldly things. 6. Digvrat (Direction abstinence)- The householder imposes limitations his movements in all the ten directions. 7. Deshvrat (Regional abstinence)- The minimization of limits of directions abstinence for a short time is known as regional abstinence. 8. Anarthdandtyagvrat (Abstinence from unnecessary demerits)- purposeless indulgence and inclination towards violence and other demerits is indulgence in unnecessary demerits. The householder should not do any type of purposeless activities such as dig earth, throw water, burn fire, move air and crush vegetables. 9. Samayika (Meditation)- To sit alone quietly or peacefully in loneliness for thinking about only own soul at least forty-eight minutes, three times in a day is Samayika. 10. Prosadhopavasavrata (Fasting)- Fasting without outside activities such as trade and commerce for a complete day in a week with studying of spiritual literature is Prosadhopavasavrata. 11. Atithisamvibhagavrata (Service of saintly beings)- To offer a share of one’s meals to monks and householder and to feed them with proper prescribed process is Atithisamvibhagavrata. 12. Bhogopabhogaparimanavrata (Limitation of objects of sensual pleasures)Bhoga means those objects which are capable of being used only once and
Upabhoga covers those objects which are capable of beings used again and again. Amongst these 12 vows the primary five vows are called as ‘Anuvratas’ and the following three are known as ‘Gunvratas’ because it adds on quality to ‘Anuvratas’. The last four vows are known to be ‘Shikshavratas’ because these teach us how to practice the sage-living in our own lives. From these the first five vows are called ‘Vrat’ and the following seven are called ‘Sheel’ because they secure and provide protection to the first five vows or the Vratas. Here, there is a very important point that is mentionable surely that according to Jain Canonicals there is only one vow-Ahinsa. There is the foundation of the whole ethical discipline is the doctrine of Ahinsa. The entire Jain ethics tends towards the translation of the principle of Ahinsa into practice. All the 12 vows stand in the support of Ahinsa. If we follow just one vow Ahinsa, we will follow all the 12 vows in itself which is why according to Jainism in order to follows the 12 vows one must understand and study the aspect of the vow of Ahinsa or non-violence undoubtedly. In Jainism Ahinsa has been described in a very microtically deep manner, Even the great philosophers of the world are also amazed on studying these explanations. It is said that in other religions at the point where the explanation of Ahinsa ends at the same point the description of Ahinsa in Jain Philosophy gets started. Almost in every religion even the violent task or ritual done for God or the Goddess of that particular religion is considered as sacred and nonviolent, but on the other hand these beliefs or tasks are said to be incorrect. Jainism believes that Hinsa will remain Hinsa even if it is done by anyone, to anyone, for anyone and wherever. Hinsa cannot be considered as Ahinsa in any case. In the Jain philosophy it is clearly mentioned that hurting or killing any living being is Hinsa, but even thinking of hurting anyone also comes under the column of Hinsa. Thus we came to a conclusion that the theory of Ahinsa in Jainism does not includes just human beings but also does talks about every living organism in the whole universe. As per to Jainism even the Earth, Water, Fire, atmosphere, air and the plants and the vegetations are also considered as living organisms, and violating or hurting them also is considered as Hinsa. This proves that
Jainism not only gives importance to the peaceful co-existence of human beings but also cares for the Peaceful and Non-violent co-existence of every living organism in all of the cosmos. In this seminar, at this moment, I plead of those people who make and create differences between human beings, to think not only about humans but also just once take a notice of the drastic changes occurring in our ecosystem and our environment. This pollution and dangerous chemicals which are coming and getting mixed with all resources and are creating land- pollution, waterpollution, air-pollution etc. This terrifying change will destroy the human race. I tell them to take a notice of the environment of the mankind. It is clear by this that this aspect of Ahinsa is not only for self-emancipation, but also it is for the betterment of all over universe. The one who wears shoes for the protection of his/her feet from the dangerous stones and thorns on the way and hurts and kills other living beings by the sharp weapons is considered as the sinful person in the universe. Similarly, there are many alike statements and explanations, like"Savve jiva icchanti, jividum n marijjdum. Tamha pavvahm ghorm, niggantha vajjayanti nam”. - Samansuttam Meaning :- Every living being wants to live, wants to survive and not to die or to starve. That is why the Jain monks considering killing as the most dangerous and horrifying prohibit doing these kinds of sins. Alike Ahinsa obeying and following truth, not stealing, celibacy and nonpossessiveness does not only leads to the path of self-improvement but it also leads to the betterment of the other well-beings, this also helps in the maintenance of peaceful co-existence amongst all the living beings. The peaceful co-existence of all the well beings is in danger just because of the sins like falsehood, theft etc. For examplea) No one trusts a person who speaks lies. b) Similarly, it is in the situation of theft also. Everyone’s property is very precious to him or her. How can one live peacefully with a person who steals his or her property and all his wealth.
c) Next comes celibacy. It means that keeping complete satisfaction in spouse only. It also means that not at all seeing another woman or a man with an evil eye. This is also one of the very important rule needed for the peaceful co-existence of all living beings. The society in which, this rule or the practice is not followed would not be able to live peacefully. d) The comfort provisions of the nature are limited and if one individual uses these and tie resources in an unlimited manner there will be nothing left for the other people in the same would at the same time. It is very far away to think about the future generations. Thus, sustainable development should be there for the peaceful co-existence of all wellbeings of the world. Therefore, possiveness is one of the aspects which is needed for the peaceful co-existence of all living beings. Just like the five Anuvratas the seven Sheelvratas are also required for the peaceful co-existence. There is not a single vow or a rule in Jain ethics that becomes an obstacle in the path to the peaceful co-existence of living begins. In the same way, with the above mentioned ‘Vratas’ and ‘Sheels’ in the Jain ethics there are many other things for which instruct are given that these things are followed, by which the environment of peaceful co-existence will be maintained. For example:1) We should show friendly behavior with all, respect towards the elders and those who are more experienced, show sympathy towards the needed and poor, and we should keep a balanced relationship with a bad and untreatable people. 2) The animals and birds that kept in the houses as pets should neither be locked nor be killed or hurt. They should taken care of their proper meals and their comfort. We should not cause any harm to them. 3) Never give false advice to any person, never reveal anyone’s secret, we should not try to conquer other’s property. 4) We should also not get involved in tasks like doing a work that is against the nation buying stolen objects, doing mis chiefs in business, etc. 5) We should get involved in the protection of even the earth, water, fire, air, vegetations, flora and fauna and the small insects.
- We should not misbehave even with the picture and statues of several living beings. 7) We should not get indulged in the occurrence of the intense sexual feeling towards a person except whom we are married according to the religious precepts. 8) We should consume food and water etc. in a proper manner in the day. 9) We should renounce the passions like anger, pride, fraud, greed, complaining, self appreciating, criticizing others. It is not need to say that usefulness of Jain ethics with aforesaid all kinds of vows and rules is proved not only for peacefully coexistence of human beings even it also builds good environment of peacefully coexistence for all living creatures of whole universe. A creation of healthy and ideal society develops to observe these vows of Jain ethics. References books : 1. Tattvarthsutra, Acharya Uma Swami, Editor, Pt. Phoolchandra Shastri, Ganesh Varni Shodha Sansthana, Varanasi. 2. Rantnakarandashravakachara, Acharya Samantbhadra, Veetrag-vigyan Trust, Ajmer. Rajasthan. 3. Purusharthsiddhyupaya, Acharya Amritchandra, Pandit Todarmal Smark Trust, Jaipur, Rajasthan. 4. Sarvarthsiddhi, Acharya Pujyapad, Bhartiya Gyanpith, New Delhi 5. Samansuttam, Edited by Jinendra Varni, Veer Nirvan Mahotsav Samiti, Indore, M.P. 6. Ethical Doctrines in Jainism, Dr. K.C. Sogani, Jain Vidya Sansthan, Jaipur, Rajasthan.