Non Violence And Its Causes

Here is a comprehensive summary of the provided text from "Non-Violence and its Causes" by Dr. Jayantilal Jain:

Understanding Non-Violence: Beyond the Obvious

The book begins by redefining non-violence, moving beyond the common understanding of not harming others. Jainism emphasizes non-violence towards oneself. The author posits that passions, the root of external violence, arise from "killing" or ignoring the self. Therefore, the absence of passions is the true state of non-violence, while their presence signifies violence. While compassion for others is important, protecting oneself is presented as the supreme state of non-violence and compassion.

Non-violence is declared the quintessence of all dharmas (duties/principles). True non-violence is achieved through complete engrossment with the self, particularly in meditation, where thoughts, words, and deeds are free from violence. The pure soul, eternally absorbed in itself, is the greatest practitioner of non-violence. The Jain vows of non-violence, truth, non-stealing, non-possession, and celibacy are spiritual endeavors that are automatically followed when one is fully absorbed in the self.

The Core Focus: Causation of Violence

The text highlights that while Jains generally understand the different dimensions of violence (from one-sensed to five-sensed beings), the underlying causation of violence is often not deeply understood. The author argues that to effectively practice and promote non-violence, it's crucial to focus on these real causes. The concept of causation is rooted in the "Pravachansaar" scripture by Acharya Kundakund.

Understanding Causation: Innate vs. Instrumental

Drawing a parallel to scientific inquiry, the book explains that understanding the causes is essential for achieving any desired outcome, including self-realization. Without this understanding, efforts can be aimless and confidence-lacking.

The text introduces two primary types of causes:

• Innate (Upadaan) Causes: These are the real, fundamental, and internal factors that directly bring about a change due to their inherent properties or previous forms. This is the substance's own contribution.
• Instrumental (Nimitta) Causes: These are associate or external factors that facilitate a change, remove impediments, but do not inherently cause the change themselves. They are contextual, superficial, and temporary facilitators.

An analogy of making a pot illustrates this: clay is the innate cause (it becomes the pot), while the potter, wheel, and stick are instrumental causes. The author stresses that understanding innate causes is key to self-realization, recognizing that change occurs from within the object itself.

The Six-Fold Causation

The text further elaborates on causation through the concept of Six-Fold Causation. This classification can be viewed from two perspectives:

• Empirical View: This perspective identifies distinct external factors for any action. Using the pot-making example, the potter is the "doer," the pot is the "deed," the wheel/rod are "means," the purpose is "donee" (e.g., storing water), the soil is the "donor/source," and the earth is the "support/basis." In this view, causes are separate entities. Applied to violence, this view identifies external perpetrators, acts, instruments, purposes, sources, and bases.

• Real View: This is the Jain perspective, which asserts that all six causes reside within the substance itself. Every substance has an inherent ability to act independently. In the pot-making example, the clay is the doer, the deed, the means, the purpose, the donor, and the support, all within itself, transforming from its previous form. Similarly, the author states that the passion for violence is the real cause of a violent act. This passion emerges from within oneself, is for oneself, from oneself, and operates on the basis of oneself. This applies to all actions, properties, and forms of a substance – they operate independently based on their own inherent nature.

Application to Liberation and Universal Truth

The text applies this Six-Fold Causation to the concept of liberation. A pure soul has the inherent power to achieve liberation through contemplation of its pure nature. Karmic matter naturally withers away, and liberation manifests from the permanent nature of the pure soul. The pure soul, therefore, is self-made, having all six causes within itself for its transformation.

The overarching conclusion is that every substance functions independently by its own inherent nature. One substance does not help another; rather, each undergoes changes within itself, by itself, for itself, from itself, and on the basis of itself. This is presented as a universal truth.

Exhibits: The provided text includes three exhibits that visually summarize the distinctions between innate and instrumental causes, the six-fold causation for making a pot (empirical vs. real), and the six-fold causation for an act of violence (empirical vs. real).

In essence, "Non-Violence and its Causes" argues for a profound internal understanding of non-violence, identifying the root causes within oneself and emphasizing the inherent power of the self to achieve spiritual goals through self-awareness and the elimination of passions.