1.08 Ahiṁsā for Plants and Animals – from Jaina Perspective

Chennai 2009: Non-violence, Compassion and Instrumentality - A Jaina Perspective

Non-violence, Compassion and Instrumentality A Jaina Perspective Seminar organized by the Department of Jainology of the University of Madras, 13 and 14 February 2009 Chennai, India

Ahiṁsā for Plants and Animals – from Jaina Perspective

13.2.2009

There was a time when human beings fought among themselves as barbarians; slavery and tyrannical rule prevailed in many parts of the world. Then, there was no time for human beings to think about anything else except securing their lives, while India had already achieved its cultural and philosophical heights. It is not exaggerated to say that this achievement was brought about by the Jainas and they can be conceived as pioneers in introducing humane qualities and great moral virtues to the Indian communities. Of the moral virtues of Jainas, Ahiṁsā is of paramount importance above anything else and it is also important to note that the precept of Ahiṁsā changed the Vedic Aryans who killed animals in the sacred fire into civilized people.

The Jainas believe that the Ahiṁsā dharma was revealed and revived by the generation of an omniscient Puruṣa [human being] called Tīrthaṁkara. Though Lord Rishabha is spoken of as the first Tīrthaṁkara in the present cycle of time, he is not assumed to have been the first person who revealed the Ahiṁsā dharma to the world. It is assumed to have been prevalent in the land even before his birth. It is stated to have been the religious faith of the Vidyādharas. These Vidyādharas belonged to a non-Aryan race. The Vidyādhara emperors were defenders of this Ahiṁsā faith. They were evidently ruling over the whole of the land which was then called Bhāratha Kanda. The ruling dynasties of the South, the emperors of Lanka and the rulers of Kishkinda in the main land of the southern peninsula, are all spoken of as Vidyādhara kings. They were all champions of this non-violent faith.^[1]

Ahiṁsā for plants

Jainas’ equal treatment and their realization that seeds or sprouts or plants have lives and that these lives experience pleasure and pain as do human beings was already appreciated more than 2500 years ago. The following sutra shows equal treatment by Jains of plants:

Sprouts are being possessed of natural development, their bodies (require) nourishment and all have their individual life. Reckless men, who cut them down for their own pleasure, destroy many living beings. ^[2]

By destroying seeds, when young or grown up, a careless man does harm to his own soul. The prophet says: “People are wicked who destroy seeds for the sake of their own pleasure.” ^[3]

It is important to note that plants are equally treated by Jainas as human beings, is a remarkable contribution of the Jainas to the world of intellectuals and humanists. The following sutra with an analogy shows the highest Intellectual achievement of Jainas:

As the nature of this (i.e., men) is to be born and to grow old, so is the nature of that (i.e., plants) to be born and to grow old; as this has reason, so that has reason; as this falls sick when cut, so that falls sick when cut; as his needs food, so that needs foods; as this will decay, so that will decay; as this is not eternal, so that is not eternal; as this takes increment, so that takes increment; as this is changing, so that is changing.^[4]

In the world, Jainas are the first human communities declared that killing plant is a sin. The following sutra proves this position:

He who injures plants:

does not comprehend and renounce sinful acts; he, who does not injure these, comprehends and renounces sinful acts. Knowing them, a wise man should not act sinfully towards plants, nor cause others to act so, nor allow others to act so. He, who knows these causes of sin relating to plants, is called a reward-knowing sage.^[5]

On any condition or circumstance, killing of an animal is considered to be a sin. It is believed that when a wild animal comes to attack any human being, the human being will try to kill the animal, this act would be justified by anyone, but Jainas follow a different track in this case and say that even though any animal attacks you, you should not attack in reply and bear the sufferings incurred in this struggle, even if you may be killed, but you should not react - this is right or dharma for Jaina ascetics. The text runs:

He who injures these (animals) does not comprehend and renounce the sinful acts; he who does not injure these, comprehends and renounces the sinful acts...^[6]

Thus, Jainism consider self-defense or to kill or injure an animal as a sin.

According to Jainism, non-killing is the most important precept for ascetics as well as householders. The text reveals this truth as:

... he always conforms to all knowledge (and renunciation), the hero is not polluted by the sin of killing. He is a wise man who perfectly knows non-killing, who searches after the liberation of bondage.^[7]

Ahiṁsā for ascetics is very rigorous and vigorous and Jaina ascetics should bear any kind of suffering caused by animals. The following lines show the nature of Ahiṁsā of a Jaina ascetic:

When crawling animals or such as live on high or below, feed on his flesh and blood, he should neither kill them nor rub (the wound).^[8]

Language and ahiṁsā

In language, ahiṁsā is insisted on by Jainas and it is an innovative and characteristic contribution of the Jainas to the world. Seeing an animal, a man or a tree or any kind of living being, one should not express sinful thoughts (killing or injuring or cooking or eating, etc.) in his or her language, because the Jainas consider it as a sin and this type of thinking of the Jainas indicate that more or less everything around us is has life. Even trees, vegetables, fruits, etc., are considered to be living beings and through this type of thinking, the ascetic’s pleasure seeking and selfish mind is brought under control. The language which brings out the pleasure or selfishness is considered to be a sin and the Jainas are very strong in their position that in language, evil things should not be expressed. Thus, even in the use of language, the Jainas try to observe the precept of ahiṁsā. Thus the Jainas’ language purification should be appreciable at large. The following sutras are good instances for their language purification:

A monk or a nun, seeing any sort of cows (or oxen), should not speak about them in this way: “These cows should be milked or tamed or covered, should draw a wagon or car; considering well,” They should not use such sinful etc. language (9).9

A monk or a nun seeing any sort of cows (or oxen), should speak about them in this way! “It is a young cow, a milk cow, she gives much milk, it is a small one or a big one, a beast of burden.’ Considering well, they should use such sinless language etc.” (10). 9

A monk or a nun, seeing big trees in parks, on hills, or in woods, should speak about them in this way: “These (trees) are fit for palaces, sales, houses, benches, bolts, boats, buckets, stools, trays, ploughs, mattocks, machines, poles, the nave of a wheel, gandi, seats, beds, cars, sheds.” Considering well, they should not use such sinful language, etc. (11). 9

A monk or a nun, seeing big trees in parks, on hills, or in woods, should speak about them in this way: “These trees are noble, high and round, big; they have many extended branches, they are very magnificent, etc.., considering well,” they should use such sinless language, etc. (12). 9

A monk or a nun, seeing many vegetables, should not speak about them in this way: “They are ripe, they are dark colored, shining, fit to be fried or roasted or eaten;” considering well, they should not use such sinful, etc.., language (15). 9

A monk or a nun, seeing many vegetables, should speak about them in this way: “They are grown up, they are fully grown, they are excellent, they are run to seed, they have spread their seed, they are full of sap; considering well, they should use such sinless, etc., language” (16).^[9]

The precept of ahiṁsā is considered to be the backbone of Jainism. Extending the precept of ahiṁsā from human beings to animals and plants is a great contribution of Jainas to the world of spirituality. Kant, the western philosopher says: “Everyone should be treated as an end and not as a means.” Against this background, to treat equally all living beings (human beings, animals or plants) can be a great achievement of the Jainas in the history of humankind. It is important to note that this idea is echoed nowadays by environmental science and philosophy.