Jain Dharm Me Ahimsa - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text "Jain Dharm me Ahimsa" by Dr. Ranjan Suridev:

Core Tenet of Jainism: Ahimsa (Non-violence)

The text establishes Ahimsa (non-violence) as the foundational cornerstone of Jainism. It asserts that Jain thinkers have delved into the concept of Ahimsa with a depth and meticulousness perhaps unmatched by any other religious tradition.

Two Dimensions of Ahimsa: Internal and External

Jain Ahimsa is presented as having a broad and comprehensive scope, encompassing both external and internal aspects:

External Ahimsa: This involves refraining from causing harm or pain to any living being through mind, speech, or body, and importantly, not hurting their feelings. This is termed "vyavaharik ahimsa" (practical Ahimsa).
Internal Ahimsa: This refers to the cessation of attachment and aversion (rag-dwesh) and the attainment of a state of equanimity (samya-bhav). This is designated as "nishchayatmak ahimsa" (decisive Ahimsa).

The text emphasizes that harming a living being externally is violence, but the mental intention or resolve to cause harm is also considered violence. True Ahimsa is only possible when inner equanimity, free from the consequences of attachment and aversion, is achieved. In this expanded sense, other virtues like truthfulness (satya), non-stealing (achaurya), celibacy (brahmacharya), and non-possession (aparigraha) are all encompassed within Ahimsa. Ultimately, Ahimsa is the central axis of Jainism, leading Jain philosophers to declare it the "Param Dharma" (Supreme Duty).

Practicality and Unavoidable Violence

The text acknowledges that in the practical world, with living beings present in water, land, and air, complete external Ahimsa is not entirely possible. However, a practitioner or householder is considered to be adhering to Ahimsa even if external harm occurs, provided they maintain inner equanimity and exercise utmost diligence (yatnachar) in their actions, without negligence. The absence of a deliberate, intentional mindset for causing harm is key.

Two Types of Ahimsa: Gross and Subtle

Analyzing Jain ethical texts like "Ratnakaranda Shravakacharya" and "Karttikeyanupreksha," the author outlines two primary types of Ahimsa:

Sthula Ahimsa (Gross Ahimsa): This involves not harming mobile beings (those with two to five senses, from insects to humans) and immobile beings (like plants and trees) without cause. This includes not cutting trees or breaking their branches and leaves. This is the "sthula ahimsavrata".
Sukshma Ahimsa (Subtle Ahimsa): This refers to a householder (shravaka) who acts with compassion towards all beings, considers all beings as oneself, and avoids causing pain to others while condemning their own actions. Such an individual, who neither engages in, causes, nor approves of violence through mind, speech, or body, is considered to be practicing "sukshma ahimsa" or "ahimsanu-vrata" (minor vows of Ahimsa). Thus, protecting all beings in every way is the vow of Ahimsa.

Means to Practice Ahimsa: The Five Samitis and Guptis

Citing Acharya Umavasati's "Tattvartha Sutra," the text identifies five means for the practice of Ahimsa:

Vachan-gupti (Control of Speech): Being careful and not negligent in speech.
Man-gupti (Control of Mind): Preventing the emergence of violent thoughts or intentions.
Irya-samiti (Careful Movement): Being mindful to avoid harming living beings while walking, standing, or sitting.
Adan-nikshepan-samiti (Care in Picking Up and Setting Down): Avoiding harm to living beings when picking up or placing down objects.
Alokita-pan Bhojan (Eating and Drinking after Inspection): Consuming food and drink after inspecting it.

These practices clearly indicate that a state of Ahimsa is achieved by being completely free from attachment, aversion, negligence, and other passions.

The Significance of Ahimsa

The text further reinforces the importance of Ahimsa by quoting various Jain scriptures:

"Sarvartha Siddhi" states that the arising of passions like attachment in the mind is violence, and their non-arising is Ahimsa.
The author of "Dhavala Pustak" declares that one who is free from negligence is non-violent, and one who is negligent is forever violent.
Religion is described as being characterized by Ahimsa, which is impossible without pure inner states of beings.
Even for self-protection, adhering to the principle of non-violence towards others is essential. The concept of "protect yourself first" underlies the principle of Ahimsa.
"Jnanaarnav" elevates Ahimsa to the status of "Jagannmata" (Mother of the Universe), as it nurtures all beings. It is the path to happiness, the noble state, and eternal prosperity. All excellent virtues are contained within Ahimsa.
"Amitgati Shravakacharya" states that protecting even one living being is incomparable, even to donating a golden Earth filled with mountains.
"Bhav Pahud" compares Ahimsa to the "Chintamani" jewel, which grants all desires. Just as Chintamani fulfills all material needs, practicing compassion (jivdaya) yields the fruits of all religious actions. Ahimsa alone bestows longevity, good fortune, wealth, beauty, fame, and more.

The essence of these descriptions is that inner purity and purification of the self are essential for practicing Ahimsa, which involves eradicating attachment, aversion, and negligence. Without this internal transformation, adherence to the vow of Ahimsa is impossible.

Four Types of Violence

Jain scriptures categorize violence into four types:

Sankalpi (Deliberate/Intentional Violence): Violence committed out of unprovoked resolution and negligence.
Udyogi (Occupational Violence): Violence occurring in pursuits for livelihood and trade.
Arambhi (Incidental Violence): Violence occurring in domestic activities like cooking and cleaning, comparable to the "Pancha Soochana Dosha" in Brahmanical tradition.
Virodhi (Defensive Violence): Violence in wars and battles for the protection of dependents or the nation.

Sankalpi violence is considered the most dangerous, being the root cause of the other three types. The emergence of Sankalpi violence in the mind leads to even the most horrific massacres. Individuals engaged in Sankalpi violence are characterized by adverse contemplation (aat-dhyan and raudra-dhyan) and are prone to taking recourse to falsehood, making them inherently violent.

Ahimsa and Truthfulness: A Subtle Interplay

The text delves into the nuanced relationship between truthfulness and violence/non-violence. While truth is generally defined as speaking as it is, the Mahabharata defines truth as that which is maximally beneficial to the world. This implies that the world's welfare is linked to non-violence, and its diswelfare to violence.

In the spiritual path, Ahimsa is essential for both the self and others. To practice Ahimsa in relation to truth, one must exercise control over speech, speaking truthfully, appropriately, and beneficially. However, situations can arise where "kathanachit asatya" (a certain type of untruth) might be necessary for Ahimsa. Ethical traditions suggest speaking "priya satya" (pleasant truth) rather than "apriya satya" (unpleasant truth), leading to a dilemma. The wise, free from delusion, can skillfully navigate these situations.

An anecdote of a muni who protects a deer from a hunter illustrates this. The muni, when asked by the hunter, cleverly states that "he who sees does not speak, and he who speaks does not see," thus avoiding a direct lie while protecting the deer and preventing violence. This highlights the importance of discerning truthfulness with wisdom.

The text also emphasizes that speech causing distress to others is not truthful. Jain acharyas advocate for speaking measured, beneficial, and nectar-like truthful words. If truthfulness poses a problem, silence is preferable. The gross vow of truth is not to speak falsely due to passions, and even truthful statements that cause harm to living beings should be avoided.

The Jain Perspective on Truth: Anekantavada

From the perspective of Jain Anekantavada (Many-Sidedness), absolute truth is elusive. Truth can also be untruth, and untruth can also be truth, depending on the context. A harsh but true statement can be untruthful in its effect if it hurts someone. Similarly, the word "pankaj" (lotus) is commonly understood to mean lotus, but a lotus is not solely born of mud; it requires the combined effect of five elements. Thus, calling a lotus "pankaj" is true by convention but potentially untrue in a broader sense.

Therefore, Jain philosophy considers things as "satya-asatya" (true-untrue) or "ubhayatmaka" (having both aspects) or "anekantatmaka" (having multiple aspects). Consequently, from the perspective of violence, even truth can be unacceptable, and from the perspective of Ahimsa, even untruth can be acceptable. This aligns with the idea that that which is most beneficial to the world is truth.

The text uses the example of Yudhishthira's statement during the Mahabharata war, "Ashwatthama is killed, the elephant, or the man?" While tinged with untruth, it was not untruthful from the perspective of world welfare. For Yudhishthira, it might have been untruthful for self-interest but truthful for the greater good. By disheartening Dronacharya, it led to a reduction in his violent actions, contributing to peace.

Modern Relevance

The text draws parallels between Lord Mahavir, a great proponent of truth and Ahimsa in ancient times, and Mahatma Gandhi in the modern era, who further developed the relevance of Mahavir's teachings from a democratic perspective. Both agreed that unbeneficial truth is untruth, and beneficial untruth is truth. The example of a doctor giving false reassurance to a dying patient to alleviate their fear is cited as beneficial untruth being akin to truth. Conversely, a truthful but terrifying statement about a disease is considered violent speech due to its harmful nature.

Quoting "Lata Samhita," the text states: "Truth can become untruth at times due to the connection with violence. Untruth can become truth at times for the protection of life." Similarly, "Angaradharmamrita" supports this, defining truth as pleasant, beneficial, and pleasing, and stating that even truthful words are not truth if they are unpleasant and harmful.

In conclusion, the text highlights that Jainism's interpretation of Ahimsa is highly practical and retains immense value in contemporary times.