Ahimsa In Jain Scriptures

By Mr. Saurabh Dalal

We all know Ahimsa is a timeless and far-reaching concept. It can be applied to essentially every aspect of our lives. I would present here a few excerpts from Jain texts and scriptures, to reinforce the correlation between our religious philosophy and the practice of Ahimsa in our daily lives. It  will be interesting to note that the Jain scriptures resound within insightful information. The ones chosen here merely indicate the body of the literature and texts. Please explore them all on your own!

First I will quote Acharang Sootra, stanza 1.6.55.

Some kill living beings for sacrificial purposes, some kill for their skins, some kill for their flesh, some for the blood, heart, liver fat, feathers, or teeth, some with specific reasons, some without reasons, some out of fear (defense).

He who is disinclined from killing the smallest living beings knows what suffering is because he who knows his own happiness and pains, knows others' too, and he who knows others' feelings knows his own feelings. This is the way one must compare himself with others. He who has obtained this knowledge would not wish to live at the expense of other living beings.

My next excerpt is from the Pratikraman Sootra, Lesson 7, First Minor Vow, Non-violence:

In reference to this vow to restrain from violence towards any creature, there are five acts or deeds which should be known and avoided. They are:

1.  Tying animals where it could hurt them, or putting them in cages where there is no freedom, 
2.  Beating them with sticks or by any other means,
3.  Piercing their nose, ear, or amputating limbs or any part of the body.
4.  Making them carry heavy load, or
5.  Depriving them of food, shelter, etc.
If I have indulged in any of the above act, then may all my such sins be dissolved. Tassa Michchhami Dukkadam.

My last excerpt is from the Pratikraman Sootra, Lesson 13, Seventh Vow, "Number of Articles and Traders", 1st paragraph, and 15 specified trades:

The second supporting vow is to put restrictions to the amount and number of articles which can be used and re-used, and which trades should be avoided. When will that auspicious day come in my life, when I can take this vow to restrict the number of towels, napkins, bathing water, garments, toothbrushes, oils, lotions, pastes, cosmetics, ornaments, incenses, beverages, sweets, variety of grain, pulses, ghee, oil, milk, curds, green vegetables, fruits, number of items in diet, water flowers, etc? I also desire that I be able to restrict the number of vehicle, footwear, beds, mattresses, animate things such as fruits, with seeds, unboiled water, etc.

There are fifteen specified trades, which should be avoided. They are:

1. Trades in which furnaces are used, 
2. Trades in which trees are cut,
3. Trades in fermented goods, such as liquor,
4. Trades in earning by way of renting animal, bird, etc.,
5. Trades involving excavations and explosions,
6. Trades in ivory, bones, horns, fur, etc.,
7. Trades in manufacturing concerned with crushing,
8. Trades in lard, honey, meat fat, et.,
9. Trades in sealing wax, etc.,
10. Trades in poisonous and toxic substances, such as opium, and pesticides, etc.,
11. Trades in which animals, birds, fish, etc. are tortured or killed,
12. Trades in which animals, birds fish, etc. are amputed,
13. Trades in which fires are set in forests, fields, etc.,
14. Trades in which lakes, wells, ponds, etc. are dried up,
15. Trades in which wicked men, prostitutes, or call girls are supported.

If I have indulged in any of the above fifteen specified trades, then may all my such sins be dissolved. Tassa Michchhami Dukkadam.

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