Amari Ahimsa - Book Summary | JainGPT

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Amari Ahimsa":

The text "Amari Ahimsa" by Sukhlal Sanghavi and Bechardas Doshi, as presented on Page 1, discusses the concept of Ahimsa (non-violence) as a universal principle. It states that Ahimsa is advocated not only in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism but also in the Bible with the commandment "Thou shall not kill." The text emphasizes that Ahimsa is not merely negative (prohibitory) but also has a positive aspect, which is termed "world-love" (vishvaprem).

The text categorizes Ahimsa into four types:

General Violence (Samanya Himsa): This refers to the direct act of harming or killing any living being. Examples given include violence for food, sport, or hunting.
Violence of the Tongue (Vachana-related Himsa): The text highlights that people commit more sins through their words than through physical actions. The wounds inflicted by words can be more severe than those of a sword. It criticizes backbiting and slander, urging readers to refrain from listening to or spreading negative gossip about others, even if it seems true, as speaking ill of someone is considered a form of violence. The text quotes a poet advising against speaking ill of others' foolishness.
Violence of Thought (Vichara-related Himsa): The authors assert that individuals are more responsible for their thoughts than for their actions and words. Thoughts, being subtle, can travel far and have a profound impact, either improving or degrading the atmosphere. The example of King Prashant is cited, whose thoughts led him to bind karma suitable for divine, infernal, and even omniscient states. Therefore, thoughts are considered the parents of words and actions and are the cause of human bondage and liberation. The essence of virtues like charity (dan), ethical conduct (shil), and austerity (tapas) lies in the underlying thought or intention.
Social Violence (Samajik Himsa): This type of violence occurs within society through customs and traditions. While not involving direct physical harm with weapons, practices like child marriage, sale of daughters, forced marriages, and polygamy (having a second wife while the first is alive) are presented as "weapons of tradition" that crush, suppress, and torment individuals, causing pain even greater than a knife. The text argues that passively accepting and ignoring cruel social customs, rather than working to change them, constitutes participation in violence. It quotes, "Inaction in an act of mercy is an act in a deadly sin," meaning that not intervening when one has the power to do so in a situation involving mercy is akin to participating in a sinful act.
Religious Violence (Dharmik Himsa): The text defines religious violence as practices like animal sacrifice in rituals and, more significantly, denigrating other religions or making accusations against different paths. It criticizes religious individuals who focus on dismantling and criticizing other faiths rather than constructively promoting their own. This often leads to personal attacks on followers of differing ideologies, deviating from the discussion of principles. The text also condemns taking half-quotes or verses from scriptures to highlight faults and refute them, calling it a grave error. The example of Manu Smriti is used: reading only "There is no fault in eating meat, drinking alcohol, or sexual intercourse" without the subsequent line "But abstinence from these is highly meritorious" is presented as a way to condemn the scripture and its followers. This selective quoting to denigrate other religions is considered religious violence. The text also links the mistreatment of "untouchables" to incomplete religious knowledge, questioning the logic of revering the divine in all beings while simultaneously despising the divine in the marginalized. It points out that the oppressed have suffered in the name of religion.
Spiritual Violence (Atmika Himsa): This is presented as the fourth and most important form of violence. It occurs where attachment (raag), aversion (dwesh), and delusion (moha) exist, leading to the destruction of the soul's natural state. Attachment to an object or person can lead to aversion if there are obstacles to obtaining the object or interference in the relationship. The text clarifies that attachment is the root cause of aversion, and both stem from ignorance (agnan). Ignorance leads people to develop attachment to things that do not truly belong to them, from which aversion is born. Therefore, spiritual violence can only be eradicated when the knowledge of the unity of life is attained. The text concludes that only a truly non-violent person becomes a lover of life, extending love universally, and their thoughts, words, and actions bring joy to the entire world.

The article is dated August 23, 1930, and attributed to Manilal Nathubhai Desi.