Bulletin for the month of January-2013

ROLE OF ETHICAL DISCIPLINE (âCâRA DHARMA) AND KARMAVâDA IN JAINISM
Role of Ethical Discipline (àcàra dharma) and
Karmavàda in Jainism
LALITA AGRAWAL
E
thical discipline or àcàra dharma is
an important aspect of Jainism. It
helps us in spiritual purification as
well as makes us a responsible person in
the society. Jainism seeks to uplift all
spiritually through cultivation of personal
wisdom and reliance on self-control through
vows or vrata.1
The word vrata in its earliest use in
Sanskrit meant not just a ‘temporary vow’,
but also conveyed the notion of a ‘calling’
in the sense of unflinching dedication
of oneself on a permanent basis to one
single purpose. It is the adoption of the
five mahàvratas (the ‘great vows’),
which provide a system of internal,
spiritual control.2
Jaina ethics evolved out of the rules for
the ascetics which are encapsulated in the
mahàvratas or the five great vows: the vow
not to kill, or ahimsà, the vow not to lie, or
satya, the vow not to steal, or asteya, the
vow to be chaste or brahmacharya and the
vow to renounce property or aparigraha.
Jainism’s extreme emphasis on nonviolence or ahimsà is grounded in its
metaphysics. Violence is responsible for the
maximum amount of karma that can be
accumulated by the soul, and since
liberation is possible only when karma is
completely destroyed, the task is reduced
through an avoidance of violent deeds.
Physical activity per se is responsible for
the accumulation of karma. So abstinence
from it is symbolized by the famous iconic
2013
representations of ascetics standing upright
over such long periods that vines grow up
their legs. Physical control that is needed
first also represents the mental control
which is also necessary to avoid subtle,
inner movement. With the axiom that ‘nonviolence is the highest religion’, Jainism
summarizes the basis of its ethics and
religious life.
Regarding ahimsà, Shri Kuladananda
Brahmachari in the book Sri Sri
Sadgurusanga, (Part III, pp. 125-126)
writes as follows:
Mr. Anderson, a European gentleman, saw
a sage in the forest of Jayadebpur, where
he went out for a hunt. The elephant, on
which Mr. Anderson was riding, got
frightened seeing a tiger and threw him
down. Mr. Anderson fired twice or thrice at
the tiger, but missed his aim. He then
began to run followed by the tiger. He saw
a naked sage in copse and ran to him. The
sage asked him to sit and waving his hand
forbade the tiger to advance. The tiger sat
at a distance, wagged its tail and growled
for some time and then went away. Mr.
Anderson was astonished to see the
wonderful phenomenon and asked the sage
how he was able to pacify the tiger. The
sage replied: ‘Tigers or snakes, never injure
one who has no himsà. Because you have a
feeling of himsà in your mind, you are
attacked by wild animals’. Mr. Anderson
from that day became a vegetarian and
gave up shooting. He was seen by many
people in Dacca and Chittagong when this
change had come over him.
Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture
17
LALITA AGRAWAL
Ahimsà is to cause ‘no harm’ to living
beings; it is the principle of ‘live’ and ‘let
live’. The vow involves ‘minimizing’
intentional as well as unintentional harm to
another living creature. There should even
be no room for any thought conjuring injury
to others, not even talking about it or
performing of such an act.3
Moral principles or àcàra dharma
of Jainism are based on equality of life.
According to the Jainas, basically all
souls are equal. Therefore, non-violence
in Jainism takes into account not only
the human beings or animals or insects
but even plant life or one-sensed
living organism living in earth, water, fire
and air etc.
Thus, ahimsà has to be observed
mentally, verbally, and physically—through
mind, speech, and body. ‘Non-violence is
the highest religious duty’ (‘ahimsà paramo
dharmah’) is a phrase which many Jainas
would regard, along with the motto—‘all
living creatures must help each other’—as
encapsulating what their religion stands for.
Without the abandonment of violent
activity, all religious behaviour, no matter
how correct, is worthless.4 Jaina ethics,
therefore, is governed not only by the
instrumentality of physical actions, but also
by verbal action and thoughts. Therefore,
no one has any right to destroy or harm any
other living being. Viewed as such, ahimsà
may be regarded as the fundamental law of
civilized life and rational living, and thus it
forms the basis of all moral instructions in
Jainism. The laying down of the
commandment not to kill and not to damage
is one of the greatest events in the spiritual
history of mankind, says Albert
Schweitzer.5
Beni Prasad, a noted Jain scholar, while
elaborating on the idea of ahimsà, says that
‘the principle of non-violence really implies
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that life should be elevated altogether from
the plane of force to that of reason,
persuasion, accommodation, tolerance and
mutual service’.6 In other words, he who
has not abandoned himsà, though he is not
factually indulging in it, commits himsà on
account of having the subconscious frame
of mind for its perpetration. Again, he who
employs his mind, body and speech in
injuring others also commits violence on
account of actually indulging in it. Thus,
wherever there is inadvertence of mind,
body or speech, himsà is inevitable.7
The story of a businessman
Satya, or truth, or honesty should be in
thought, word and deed. There is a famous
story about it in Jainism. Once a
businessman was travelling in a bus. There
he found a purse on the seat. He picked it
secretly. When he reached home, he found
one thousand rupees with an address slip in
the purse and became very happy. But it so
happened that after some days he himself
lost a hundred rupees note. He searched for
it but could not find. However, on the same
day his sweeper came to him and said, ‘Oh
Babuji, I found this note from your garage.
Please take it.’ The businessman thought, ‘I
am worse than my sweeper, because I have
stolen the purse of a gentleman. I must
return it to him’. At once he set out and
reached the house of the owner of the purse
and handed over to him the same. When the
gentleman thanked him, he said, please, do
not thank me; thank my sweeper who had
changed my heart.’ The gentleman was
flummoxed! The businessman then told him
the whole story. The story suggests that we
should always remain honest in life.
Asteya is not to steal. That is, not to
take any thought, word or action, anything
to which one is not entitled.8
Brahmacharya is to exercise control
Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture
January
ROLE OF ETHICAL DISCIPLINE (âCâRA DHARMA) AND KARMAVâDA IN JAINISM
over the senses including mind. The basic
goal of this vow is to conquer our passion,
thus preventing the wastage of energy in
the direction of pleasurable desires. During
the observance of this vow, the householder
must not have a sensual relationship
with anybody other than one’s own
spouse. The Jain monks and nuns, however,
practise complete abstinence from any
sexual activity.9
Aparigraha is the fifth vow. The basic
principle behind the observance of this vow
is the fact that life changes. What we own
today may not be rightfully ours tomorrow.
Hence the Jain householder is encouraged
to discharge his or her duties to related
people and objects as a trustee, without
excessive attachment or aversion. For
monks and nuns, non-possession involves
complete renunciation of property and
human relations.10
Jainism says: Curb possessions and lead
a life that is useful to yourself and others.
Owning an object by itself is not
possessiveness. Attachment to an object is
possessiveness.11
Jainism acknowledges that every person
has different capabilities and capacities to
practise and therefore accepts different
levels of compliance for ascetics and
householders.
The great vows (mahàvratas) are
prescribed for the Jain monastics while
limited vows (anuvratas) are prescribed for
the householders. The householders are
encouraged to practise five cardinal
principles, ie non-violence, truthfulness,
non-stealing,
celibacy,
and
nonpossessiveness as far as possible. However,
the monks and the nuns have to observe
them very strictly from the very beginning.
Through consistent practice, it is possible to
overcome the limitations gradually, thus
accelerating spiritual progress.12
2013
Knowledge and action
The fundamentals of Jaina ethics are
knowledge and action. Dry and unconscious
performance of religious activities do not
deserve to be called ethics. Jainism holds
that the essential requisite of a good and
ideal conduct is right knowledge. It is
necessary therefore that the vision or faith
must be clear. The knowledge can be
correct if it springs from clear vision.
Everyone has the knowledge of an object
perhaps. But from spiritual standpoint it can
be called true only when it follows from the
correct assessment of a thing, attempted
from the extramundane, and not from the
mundane angle. The goal of life which is
emancipation should invariably decide
whether a particular action is permitted or
prohibited. The knowledge, without
discrimination is not the right type of
knowledge. Similarly, a conduct is not right
if it is not based on the right type of
knowledge. Keeping this in mind it has
been said that the conduct without right
knowledge is like a load of sandal sticks
placed on the back of a donkey.
This does not mean, however, that it is
necessary for the person of ideal conduct to
have the knowledge of elements of all
things. According to Jainism, that much
knowledge is required as is essential to
ensure right conduct. Knowledge, which
helps us in discriminating between the soul
and the non-soul, is the minimum
requirement. But that discrimination is not
realization. Discrimination is required for
intensifying our craving for self-realization
and for removing our attachment to the
world. Total knowledge, according to
Jainism, is born as a result of the
observance of major vows and of the
practices of penance. It then comes in the
form of realization. It then becomes the
Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture
19
LALITA AGRAWAL
cause of perfect conduct.13
The basic principles of Jainism which
are also related to the ethical principles are
the following:
1. Initially every human soul is
invested with an envelop of materialistic
particles called karmas, attaching it to
impure earthly tasks.
2. Every human being must strive for
liberation from the dependence and for
achieving perfection of the condition of
soul, in which it acquires four new
qualities—unlimited faith, unlimited
knowledge, unlimited force and unlimited
bliss.
3. A human being must hold the
material envelope under control of his soul,
since only after complete mastery over the
envelope’s binding force, the soul can reach
perfection.
4. A human being can reach
perfection by his own efforts. Nobody can
help him on this path. Everyone carries full
measure of responsibility for all that he
does.14
A major characteristic of Jain belief is
the emphasis on the consequences of not
only physical but also mental behaviours.15
Jainism recommends the conquest of
anger by forgiveness, pride (ego) by
humility, deceit by straightforwardness, and
greed by contentment.16
According to the Jains, the problems of
human life arise out of various factors such
as, scarcity, injustice, ignorance and
selfishness.
‘The greater the possession, the greater
the happiness’ is the notion of many. But
Jainism teaches us quite the opposite: ‘The
lesser the possession, the greater the
happiness’. Happiness, it says, comes from
what we are and not from what we possess.
The answer of Jainism to the problem
of scarcity is: Be not attached to the
20
worldly objects; be not their slaves; turn to
the self within wherefrom comes true
happiness. This does not imply a life of
inertia, but that of contemplation and
contentment.
Introspection means blunting one’s eye
to others’ faults. Only he, who has forgotten
himself, can bring his thoughts to bear on
others. Only he can look outside who has
no knowledge of the virtue of selfperception. An endless chain of lights
cannot create that brightness that selfanalysis and introspection beget.
Forgiveness means forbearance. To
regard suffering as duty or dharma and
tolerate opposition is forgiveness.
Forgiveness is the weapon of the strong. To
keep one’s strength from running amok is
forgiveness. Not to get inflamed in adverse
circumstances is forgiveness.17
Jainism brings us a hope of justice in
the form of the doctrine of karma—as we
sow, so shall we reap. Thus the answer of
Jainism to the problem of injustice is
fourfold: doctrine of karma, equality of life,
non-violence and equanimity.
Jainism teaches us that all knowledge is
relative and correlated. So let us be
receptive to every thought. Let us not
assume the attitude of finality about our
knowledge. The answer of Jainism to the
problem of knowledge is found in its
doctrine of non-absolutism.
Selfishness lies at the root of all
problems. All immoral practices arise out of
selfish nature of man, says Jainism. And
this selfishness can be overcome by
realizing the true nature of the self. What
Jainism asks one to do is to make a
distinction between the self and the nonself. When one does it, one wins a victory
over passions which are based on a false
conception of the identity of the two.18
After solving these problems, the
Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture
January
ROLE OF ETHICAL DISCIPLINE (âCâRA DHARMA) AND KARMAVâDA IN JAINISM
attainment of bliss is the sole objective of
Jaina ethics. Brahma is the delight of life and
mind, the fullness of peace and eternity.19
Karmavàda
According to the Bhagavad Gità,
Karma Yoga or the life of activism
constitutes the supreme end to be aimed at.
It is no doubt true that we can find passages
in the Gità where jnàna is held superior to
karma, and again, where karma is regarded
superior to jnàna, and again at places where
they are at par. But the law of body, the law
of society and the law of universe indicate
and even vindicate activism.20
The Gità tells us that actions should be
performed after brushing aside all
attachment to and desire for the fruit.21
Besides, wisdom and equanimity should
guide our actions.
Every living being, has a soul22 and
when a soul is freed from karmas, it
becomes free and attains divine
consciousness, experiencing infinite
knowledge, perception, power, and bliss
(moksha)..23
According to Jain philosophy, once the
soul is free from karma which disturbs
one’s life, it possesses a completely pure
life, that is, absolutely moral good conduct.
As long as this is not the case, the soul’s
conduct is disturbed by the influence of
passions, which are krodha, màna, màyà
and lobha.
The goal of Jainism is liberation of
the soul from the negative effects
of unenlightened thoughts, speech, and
action. This goal is achieved through
clearance
of
karmic
obstructions
and stopping new karmas from coming
to our soul by following the triple gems
of Jainism. The triple gems of Jainism—
Right View, Right Knowledge and
Right Conduct—provide the way to this
2013
realization. Lord Mahàvira has given an
instance of his own life as how to stop new
karmas from coming to our lives.
One day as Lord Mahàvira was going
from one place to another, he stopped near
a big tree outside the village for meditation.
While he was meditating, a cowherd came
there with his cows. He needed someone to
look after the cows, so that he could run
some errands. He asked Mahàvira Swami if
he would look after the cows for a few
hours. Lord Mahàvira was in deep
meditation, and did not hear the cowherd.
However, the cowherd went away thinking
that Lord Mahàvira had heard him and will
look after the cows.
In the meantime, the cows started
wandering away, looking for fresh grass
here and there. A few hours later, the
cowherd returned and found all his cows
missing. He asked Mahàvira Swami,
‘Where are my cows? What did you do
with them?’ Lord Mahàvira was still in
meditation. So he did not reply. The
cowherd then started wondering ‘Where
could they be?’ Since Lord Mahàvira did
not reply, he searched for them everywhere
in the valley, but could not find them.
While he was busy frantically looking for
the cows, the herd returned to the place
where Mahàvira Swami was meditating.
When the cowherd also came back to the
same spot, he saw, to his amazement that
all his cows were standing near Lord
Mahàvira, who was still meditating. The
cowherd now became very angry because
he thought that Lord Mahàvira was hiding
his cows. So, he took out his rope and was
about to whip Mahàvira Swami with it. Just
then, an angel from heaven came down and
held the rope.
‘Can’t you see that Lord Mahàvira is in
deep meditation?’ asked the angel.
‘But he tricked me!’ said the cowherd.
Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture
21
LALITA AGRAWAL
The angel replied, ‘He is a God. He does
not care for your cows or anything else in
this world. He was in meditation and did
not hear you. He did not do anything to
your cows. You would have gotten bad
karmas for hurting him.’
The cowherd realized that he had made
a mistake. He apologized to Lord Mahàvira
and went away silently. The angel went
back to heaven feeling happy that he could
at least stop Lord Mahàvira’s suffering.
And Mahàvira didn’t have any bad feelings
towards the cowherd, because he harboured
no anger towards anyone.
The story shows that we should not
make hasty decisions, because we can be
wrong. We should also not hurt anyone,
and should show forgiveness instead of
anger. This way we can stop new karmas
from coming to our soul. According to the
Jains, we should enjoy the company of the
holy and better-qualified persons, be
merciful to the afflicted souls, and tolerate

the perversely inclined.24
REFERENCES
1 Robert E. Buswell, Encyclopedia of
Buddhism, 2004, p. 383.
2 Paul Dundas, The Jainas, Routledge,
London, 1992, pp. 157-158. (hereafter
The Jainas)
3 S. Gopalan, Outlines of Jainism, Wiley
Eastern Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 1973, p. 159.
(hereafter Outlines)
4 The Jainas, p. 160.
5 Albert Schweitzer, Indian Thought and its
Development, London, 1951, pp. 82-83.
6 Beni Prasad, World Problems and Jaina
Ethics, Jaina Culture Society, Banaras, p. 9.
7 Amritacandracarya, Purusarthasiddhyupaya,
Rayacandra Jaina Sastramala, Bombay,
p. 48.
8 C. D. Sharma, A Critical Survey of Indian
Philosophy, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers
Pvt. Ltd., Delhi, 1960, p. 66.
9 Outlines, pp. 163-164.
10 Ibid., pp. 164-165.
11. Dulichand Jain, Thus Spake Lord Mahavir,
Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, 1998,
p. 69. (Hereafter Thus Spake)
12 Yogendra Jain, Jaina Way of Life, A Guide
to Compassionate, Healthy and Happy
Living, Boston, MA: JAINA Federation of
Jain Associations of North America, 2007.
13 Dalsukh D. Malvania, Jainism: Some
*
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14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Essays, Prakrit Bharati Academy, Jaipur,
1986, pp.32-33.
N. R. Guseva, Jainism, Sindhu Publications
Pvt. Ltd., Bombay, 1971, p. 59.
Michae l Tobias, Life Force, The World of
Jainism, Berkeley, California: Asian
manush Press, 1991, pp. 6-7, 15.
Thus Spake, p. 15.
Acharya Mahapragya, Jainism: Ethics and
Morality, Anmol Publications Pvt. Ltd.,
New Delhi, 2000, p. 80.
Dayanand Bhargava, Jaina Ethics, Motilal
Banarsidass, Delhi, 1969, pp. 220-221.
Taittiriya
Upanisad—Gita
Press,
Gorakhapur, I-6.
R. D. Ranade, The Bhagavad Gita as a
Philosophy of God-realization, Nagpur
University, Nagpur, pp. 196-97.
The Bhagavad Gità.
T. U. Mehta, Path of Arhat–A Religious
Democracy, 1993, Pujya Sohanalala
Smaraka Parsvanatha Sodhapitha, p. 63.
Robert
Kastenbaum,
Macmillan
Encyclopedia of Death and Dying, 2003,
p. 491.
Prof. S. A. Jain, Reality (English
Translation of Sarvarthasiddhi by Srimat
Pujyapadacharya), 2nd Edition, Chapter 7,
p. 195.
Dr Lalita Agrawal is Asst. Professor in the Department of Philosophy, Gokhale Memorial Girls’
College, Kolkata.
Bulletin of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture
January

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