Non Violence A Way Of Life

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Non-Violence: A Way of Life" by Kumarpal Desai, based on the provided pages:

Book Overview:

"Non-Violence: A Way of Life" by Dr. Kumarpal Desai, published by Jaybhikhkhu Sahitya Trust, is a brief yet insightful sketch of the life and teachings of Bhagwan Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankar of Jainism. The book aims to make the core principles of Jainism accessible to a modern audience, particularly those unfamiliar with its traditions and language. Desai emphasizes that Mahavir's teachings, especially non-violence (ahimsa) and respect for other viewpoints (syadvada), can help individuals cultivate a broad-minded human outlook, free from prejudice.

The World Before Mahavir's Birth:

The text vividly portrays the socio-religious landscape of India prior to Mahavir's birth as a period of intense suffering and moral degradation. Key issues highlighted include:

• Religious Corruption: Temples were centers of trickery and deceit. Religious practices were reduced to meaningless sacrificial rites involving the killing of numerous animals.
• Societal Inequality: A rigid caste system prevailed, with the privileged classes hoarding knowledge and denying access to scriptures, education, and spiritual practices to the lower castes and women. Women were treated as property, lacking individual rights.
• Violence and Warfare: Kings engaged in constant wars for trivial gains, and scriptures promoted the idea that dying in battle was a path to salvation, leading to widespread suffering, widowhood, and orphaning of children.
• Aggression Over Peace: Aggression was glorified as bravery, while seeking friendship was seen as cowardice.

The Birth and Early Life of Vardhaman (Mahavir):

• Divine Prophecy: The birth of Bhagwan Mahavir was preceded by fourteen auspicious dreams experienced by his mother, Queen Trishaladevi. These dreams, interpreted by experts, foretold the birth of a fearless, virtuous, and spiritually enlightened being who would propagate a fourfold religion (monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen).
• Omens of Prosperity: The land experienced unusual fertility, cows yielded more milk, and trees bore abundant fruit, signaling the arrival of a great soul.
• The Name Vardhaman: The child was named Vardhaman, signifying an increase in goodness.
• Early Demonstrations of Character:
  • Empathy and Stability: Even in the womb, Vardhaman sensed his mother's pain and stilled his movements, later resuming them to alleviate her anxiety. This demonstrated an early understanding of a mother's love and a commitment to not causing distress.
  • Fearlessness (Abhaya): As a child, Vardhaman fearlessly caught and threw away a snake that had coiled around a tree while other children were terrified.
  • Courage and Compassion: In a test orchestrated by a god, Vardhaman remained unperturbed when the god transformed into a terrifying giant. He even showed compassion by asking his followers not to beat the god, advocating for forgiveness as the best punishment. This act earned him the title "Mahavir" (Great Hero).

Mahavir's Renunciation and Austerity:

• Spiritual Awakening: Even as a child, Mahavir deeply contemplated the pervasive unhappiness in the world and recognized that attachment and aversion were the root causes of suffering. He realized that true happiness lay in conquering oneself, not external enemies.
• Decision to Renounce: Driven by a desire to find the "empire of love and mercy," Mahavir decided to renounce the world. However, respecting his parents' wishes, he waited until after their death.
• Initiation: At the age of 30, Mahavir renounced his worldly life, symbolizing a departure from royalty to the path of austerity. He tore out his hair in a symbolic act of detachment.
• Extreme Austerity: Mahavir embarked on a rigorous period of penance for twelve and a half years. This involved:
  • Non-attachment to Possessions: He renounced a divine garment given by Indra, showing complete detachment from material possessions.
  • Endurance of Torment: He faced numerous hardships and physical abuses from humans and supernatural beings, including a cowherd who lashed him with a rope, a yaksha named Shoolapani who tormented him with a lance, and the god Sangama who caused him prolonged suffering. Despite these trials, Mahavir maintained equanimity and compassion.
  • Self-Sufficiency: He practiced extreme fasting, often without water, and endured harsh weather conditions while meditating in desolate places.
  • Embracing the Vow of Ahimsa: He refused to carry a stick to ward off wild dogs, adhering strictly to his vow of non-violence.
  • Physical and Mental Fortitude: He demonstrated immense strength of will, enduring severe pain, even having thorns inserted into his ears, without any sign of anger or aversion. He attributed these sufferings to his past karma.

Attainment of Omniscience (Kevaljnana):

• Enlightenment: After twelve and a half years of intense austerity, on the tenth day of the bright half of Vaishakha, under a Shala tree, Mahavir attained Kevaljnana (omniscience) by the river Rajuvalika. This marked the dawn of infinite knowledge and liberation from worldly complexities.
• New Names: Upon attaining omniscience, he became known as Arhata, Jaina, and Veetraga (one who has conquered passions).

Mahavir's Teachings and the Jain Order:

• Sermons and Disciples: Mahavir preached in Ardhamagadhi, the language of the common people. His sermons attracted all strata of society, including kings, Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, and women.
• The Samavasarana: Gods created a divine assembly hall (Samavasarana) for his preachings.
• Conversion of Scholars: Eleven prominent scholars, initially filled with suspicion, were convinced by Mahavir's omniscient pronouncements and became his chief disciples (ganadharas), spreading his teachings throughout India.
• The Tirth (Quadruple Order): Mahavir established a Sangha, or congregation, consisting of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen, thus founding a "tirtha" (a spiritual ford or crossing).
• Core Principles:
  • Nirgrantha Monk: The ideal Jain monk is free from all ties, possesses noble thoughts, observes ahimsa rigorously, and lives a life of self-reliance and detachment.
  • Anekantavada: The doctrine of manifold perspectives, encouraging tolerance and understanding of different viewpoints.
  • Syadvada: The doctrine of conditional predication, promoting harmless speech.
  • The Five Great Vows (Mahavratas):
    1. Ahimsa (Non-violence): The cornerstone of Jainism, encompassing non-harm to all living beings in thought, word, and deed. It is derived from the logical understanding of the equality of all souls and the desire for happiness.
    2. Satya (Truth): Speaking truthfully, avoiding harshness, and understanding that truth can be relative (Anekantavada).
    3. Asteya (Non-stealing): Not taking anything that is not freely given.
    4. Brahmacharya (Celibacy/Chastity): Restraint of sensual pleasures, which are seen as the source of suffering.
    5. Aparigraha (Non-possession/Non-attachment): Renouncing attachment to possessions, which are considered the root of evil and suffering.
• Social Revolution: Mahavir brought about a significant social revolution by:
  • Making scriptures accessible to the masses through his vernacular teachings.
  • Granting equal spiritual status to women, recognizing their potential for liberation as nuns.
  • Breaking down caste barriers, asserting that one's worth is determined by karma, not birth.
  • Challenging traditional patriarchal norms regarding women's dependence.
  • Emphasizing individual effort over fate and divine grace.
  • Advocating for freedom of thought and challenging blind faith and age-old customs.
• Householder's Duties: While monks observed strict vows, householders were encouraged to follow similar principles with lesser strictness, demonstrating that religious practice is accessible to all.

Mahavir's Nirvana (Final Liberation):

• Passing at 72: At the age of 72, Bhagwan Mahavir attained Nirvana (passed away and achieved final liberation) at Pavapuri.
• Gautama's Understanding: His chief disciple, Gautama, initially grieved but later understood that Mahavir's Nirvana provided a profound lesson on detachment, teaching that spiritual progress surpasses physical attachment.
• Legacy: Mahavir's message of eternal happiness, compassion, and non-violence continues to purify the world, empowering individuals to achieve self-realization through their own efforts.

In essence, "Non-Violence: A Way of Life" presents Bhagwan Mahavir as a revolutionary spiritual leader who challenged the prevailing social and religious injustices of his time, offering a path to liberation through rigorous self-discipline, compassion, and unwavering adherence to non-violence.