It is often argued whether this is a religion of peace or that is a religion of peace. We come up with different answers. However, when it is pointed out that there are specific doctrines in almost all major religions which support violence, in one form or another, we start talking about the context. Then we come to agreement that in specific matters, such as a war, or dealing with a thief or murderer, violence is not only helpful but essential. Given this, can we expect a religion to be based purely upon the idea of peace, without any ifs or buts attached to it? The answer to this question takes us to Jainism, an ancient Indian religion, and its key figure, Mahavira.
Mahavira (born Vardhamana in the sixth-century BC India) was a reformer and philosopher, the twenty-fourth Tirthankara of the Jains who established Jainism in its present form. Jainism is a religion that carries the idea of non-violence as its central message. If one were to imagine a religion of absolute peace (it’s another question if one would prefer such pacifism in practical matters or not), it would be Jainism as can be inferred from its core principles.
The philosophy of Mahavira consists of eight cardinal principles — three metaphysical and five ethical. According to the metaphysical principles, the universe exists eternally, for it was never created, nor can it be destroyed. It is made up of six eternal substances: souls, space, time, material atoms, medium of motion and medium of rest. These components are independent of each other and undergo change to create the reality with its many facets in which uninitiated mortals exist.
Of the ethical principles, ahimsa or non-violence is the first vow, which is fundamental to Jainism. Every living being is subject to laws of karma — birth, death and rebirth — and in order to renounce that cycle, ahimsa is the most important principle. If that is not followed, all other good deeds and principles are useless. So here is a religion which is not giving up on the idea of non-violence without attaching any conditions to it.
According to Jainism, a good person, lay or ascetic, should never harm any living being by thought, word or deed. Life in any form — human and non-human — must be protected from violence and injury. This is the fundamental duty of a Jain. Violence, said Mahavira, is of two types — unintentional violence resulting from the actions of the body and intentional violence motivated by the mind. Although the actions of the body are inevitable acts of survival, our conscience must be aware of the violence we commit.
Mahavira’s teachings tell us that kindness and compassion are natural to the soul, not killing. But the violence is not only restricted to physical injuries. We must avoid other types of violence which include lying, exploiting others, depriving another of his livelihood, treating another as inferior being, denying education or help to someone, or even thinking of any kind of harm to others. We must avoid violence in all its forms. The idea of non-violence is not meant for those who wish to stay quiet in the face of violence and injustice, nor is it for cowards. One has to be brave enough to pursue this path and bear all the hardships without retorting to violence. It’s not a surprise that Gandhi’s revolutionary non-violence was derived from the principles of Jainism.
Vegetarianism, a natural corollary of ahimsa, is absolutely essential to Jainism. Milk and milk products may be consumed only if they are produced without harming the cow. Root vegetables such as potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, etc. are avoided because tiny organisms are injured when the plant is pulled out. Further, the root is seen as the source of life of the plant itself and pulling it out is akin to killing the plant. It is not uncommon to see Jain sadhus and sadhvis with their mouths covered with a white cloth to prevent bugs from going in and being consumed accidentally, or sweeping the ground in front of them as they walk, in order to avoid stepping on an insect or any other organism. Further, Jains are discouraged from eating after sunset and before sunrise because they may accidentally consume small organisms which could have fallen into their food.
Today, India is home to the largest number of vegetarians in the world. If many Hindus became vegetarians over the course of two and a half millennia, it may be ascribed to Mahavira (along with Buddha), who made vegetarianism into the greatest virtue that a person may possess and essential for one’s own liberation.
The other ethical vows may not directly talk about non-violence but the underlying theme remains the same. Truth, the second vow, for example. It is important because lies are a form of violence. So is stealing (hence non-stealing becomes the third vow).
If the most important principle of Jainism is ahimsa, the most important concept is anekaantavada or many-sided realities. Anekaantavada is regard for the viewpoints of others. It describes the plurality of existence and teaches that truth and reality may differ when perceived from different points of views. No single view is absolute. There are infinite points of view, each expressing a partial truth. The best example is the tale of the five visually challenged men who touched five different parts of an elephant and came to different conclusions.
Does all this mean that Jains are always peaceful and tolerant of others’ views? Of course, not. They can be every bit as intolerant or violent as the rest of us, but at least when we talk about the principles, Jains will have a much stronger case for the title of The Religion of Peace than the rest of us.
Kalampedia 