From Religious Books:
Compiled by Duli Chandra Jain
Rational Perception Versus Right Faith:
Many individuals associate SAMYAK DARSHAN (rational perception) with right faith. Faith commonly implies a blend of ideas and activities such as unconditional acceptance of dogma as contained in a scripture or religious book; following a religious personality such as a preacher, guru or scholar without question; and, indulging in traditional ritualistic practices without any regard to rationale. However, rational perception is totally different from these. Acharya Umaswati, in TATTVAARTH SUTRA, defines rational perception in the following aphorism: (1)
TATTVAARTH-SHRADDHAANAM SAMYAK-DARSHANAM |1-2|
Belief in reality, that is, substances ascertained as they are, is rational perception.
The Sanskrit words 'SAMYAK' and 'DARSHAN' literally mean 'rational' and 'perception', respectively. Thus SAMYAK DARSHAN essentially entails an inclination, attitude or frame of mind that is free from any predisposition or preconceived notions. The Sanskrit word TATTVAARTH means 'nature of substances' - their intrinsic attributes. Thus it implies reality - the real nature of things.
It should be remarked that a worldly soul, on account of the mantle of karmic matter, is limited in its capacity to comprehend the nature of reality. Consequently, we cannot achieve transcendent rational perception. We can only observe and study aspects of reality with an open and unbiased mind, and then form our own beliefs. This implies that the rational perception of an individual evolves as one advances on the path to spiritualism and it becomes absolute perception when a soul sheds all karmic matter.
Commenting on this aspect of Jain philosophy, Dr. Nath Mal Tatia states, (2) "Umaswati defines right attitude (SAMYAK DARSHAN) as SHRADDHAAN for the truth, and explains SHRADDHAAN as PRATYAAVADHAARANA, that is, discursive (going from premises to conclusions in a series of logical steps) determination."
Dr. A. N. Upadhye writes, (3) "his (Mahaveer's) metaphysics was based on common-sense realism and intellectual reconciliation." He continues, (4) "The Jain logician is neither a skeptic nor agnostic; but he is a realist working with sound common sense. He does not want to ignore the relative or conditional character of the judgment arising out of the very nature of the object of knowledge."
The above discussion points to the fact that there are significant differences between faith and rational perception, a concept unique to the Jain religion.
Nonviolence - A Consequence Of Rational Perception:
Nonviolence (AHIMSA) is the cornerstone of the Jain code of ethics, which, in turn, is a natural consequence of a rationalism. Jains do not believe that any higher authority hands down a 'system of laws' or commandments. Jains are expected to study the scriptures and grasp the concepts of rational perception, rational knowledge and rational conduct. They should consider their own experiences and realize that passions such as anger, pride, deception and greed have a major adverse impact on their lives. It is observed that if an individual accepts success and failure, pleasure and pain, sickness and health, union and separation, victory and defeat as part of worldly existence, he/she has mild passions. This leads to contentment and peace of mind. Just as we wish to have good health and peace of mind, so do all other living beings. This is the basis of the virtue of nonviolence. Jainism believes that no overall good of individuals or society can arise from violence. Jainism teaches that untruth, stealing - taking more than one's fair share, immoderate pursuit of sensual pleasures and possessiveness are aspects of violence. All these involve passions - mental violence of self and of others. They may also lead to physical violence.
Dr, A. N. Upadhye has written, (5) "Jainism is perhaps the only Indian religion which has explained the doctrine of AHIMSA in a systematic manner, because all other values were elaborated on this basis. Violence or injury is of three kinds: physical violence, which covers killing, wounding, and causing any physical pain; violence in words, which consists of using harsh language; and mental violence, which implies bearing ill feeling towards others. Further, violence may be committed, commissioned or consented to. A householder is unable to avoid all these forms of violence in an absolute manner, so he is expected to cause minimal injury to others. In view of the sort of society in which we have to live, injury is classified under four headings: first, there is accidental injury (AARAMBHI HIMSA) in the course of digging, pounding, cooking, and other such activities essential to daily living; second, there is occupational injury (UDYOGI HIMSA), as when a soldier fights, an agriculturist tills the land, etc.; third, there is protective injury (defensive, VIRODHI HIMSA) as when one protects one's own or other people's lives and honor against wild beasts and enemies; and last, there is intentional injury (SANKALPI HIMSA) when one kills beings with the full intention of killing them, as in hunting or butchery. A householder is expected to abstain completely from intentional injury and as far as possible from the rest. It is the intention or mental attitude that matters more than the act. So one has to take the utmost care to keep one's intentions pure and pious, and to abstain from intentional injury. The practice of the various vows puts some restriction on the choice of a profession and makes for a humane outlook in society."(6)
Dr. Padmanabh Jaini states, (7) "Great importance has been attached to this concept (AHIMSA) by every Indian school, but none has carried it to the extreme of the Jains. For them it is not simply the first among virtues but the virtue; all other restraints are simply elaborations of this central one. HIMSA has ordinarily been understood in India as harm done to others; for Jains, however, it refers primarily to injuring oneself - to behavior which inhibits the soul's ability to attain MOKSHA. Thus the killing of animals, for example, is reprehensible not only for the suffering produced in the victims, but even more so because it involves intense passions on the part of the killer, passions which bind him more firmly in the grip of SAMSAAR (worldly existence). The Jain concept of HIMSA, then, is very broad in terms of the actions to which it refers; and the need for abandonment of such actions becomes of paramount importance to the spiritual aspirant."
According to the Jain concept of reality, all individual souls of the universe are independent. Thus nonviolence is essentially non-interference in the lives of other living beings. Dr. Tatia writes, (8) "A major part of Mahaveer's teaching was concerned with the appeal not to interfere with the lives of others."
The purpose of adopting the virtue of nonviolence, including other virtues such as truth and non-possessiveness, is to attain the state of absolute freedom - freedom from our worldly existence and the accompanying afflictions and miseries. The universe continues to evolve and so do the lives of individual worldly souls. Transformations occur guided by the intrinsic attributes of the entities of the universe. Forms evolve but the substance remains unchanged. Dr. Tatia summarizes these aspects of reality in the following words:
"Mahaveer adhered to the common experience (regarding sorrow and suffering of worldly existence), and found no contradiction between permanence and change and was free from absolutism. Existence is not an evil by itself and freedom from it does not mean total cessation of it. ... Mahaveer did not believe in absolute permanence or total cessation. ... With Mahaveer change was as much real as permanence, and so his position was quite distinct from those of absolutists. Freedom means freedom from passions only. It is a qualitative change rather than total cessation."
Evidently, the virtue of nonviolence is a direct consequence of rationalism, a fundamental concept of Jain philosophy.
Footnotes:
1. Jain Study Circular, Volume 24, January 2003, pages 3-9. Back up
2. "Studies In Jaina Philosophy" by Dr. Nathmal Tatia, published by P. V. Research Institute, Varanasi 1951, page 148. Back up
3. 'Jainism' by Dr. A. N. Upadhye, included in 'A Cultural History of India', edited by A. L. Basham, Oxford India Paperbacks, 1975, page 101. Back up
4. ibid, page 105. Back up
5. ibid, page 106. Back up
6. In this context, the article "America's Killer Export - But Big Tobacco Gets Pass" by Neil Steinberg, published in the Daily News of June 5, 2005, is an eye-opener. It discusses the question: "What is the one true evil that America has inflicted on the world? The U.S.-born curse that ruins lives from Algeria to Zaire." Back up
7. The Jaina Path of Purification by Dr. Padmanabh Jaini, published by Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1979, page 167. Back up
8. "Studies In Jaina Philosophy" by Dr. Nathmal Tatia, page 17. Back up