IndiaPost.com - 'Injury to others is injury to oneself'

Mahavira used to pose a question: "Can you hold a red-hot iron rod in your hand merely because some one wants you to do so?" The listeners would instantly reply, "No, never". Then Mahavira would ask them, "Then, will it be right on your part to ask others to do the same thing just to satisfy your desire? If you cannot tolerate infliction of pain on your body or mind by others' words and actions, what right have you to do the same to others through your words and deeds?"

Mahavira would then sum up his message: "Do unto others as you would like to be done by. Injury or violence done by your to any life in any form, animal or human, is as harmful as it would be if caused to your own self." Mahavira's emphasis on this `Unity of Life' forms one of the highest saving principles of human life.

As one deeply conversant with the needs, capacities and aptitudes of human being, Mahavira initiated a simple five-fold path for the householders: Ahimsa (Non-injury - physical or mental - to others), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (temperance in sexual pleasures) and Aparigraha (non-acquisition of property).

Mahavira's injunctions for the monks and nuns were however very exacting. Abstinence from every kind of physical comfort and material possession and absolute dedication to the highest ethical and spiritual discipline were enforced. Even to this day, 2500 years after the passing away of that great master, this pure and upright tradition of the monks has been maintained.

Thousands of white clad Sanyasins and Sanyasinis and also nude monks move on foot from village to village and town to town, throughout the length and breadth of the country, carrying Mahavira's gospel of peace, non-injury and brotherhood among people. Mahavira's philosophy has eight principal cardinals - three metaphysical and five ethical.

The objective is to elevate the quality of life. These independent principles reveal exceptional unity of purpose, and aim at achieving spiritual excellence by ethically sound behavior and metaphysical thought. Mahavira's metaphysics consist of three principles - Anekantavada, Syadvada, and Karma; and his Panchavrats, five codes of conduct - Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, and Aparigraha.

He talks of Tri-ratnas - three gems, which are the means and the goal. Mahavira preached that from eternity, every living being (soul) is in bondage of karmic atoms accumulated by good or bad deeds. Under karma, the soul seeks temporary and illusory pleasure in materialistic possessions, which are the deep rooted causes of self-centered violent thoughts, deeds, anger, hatred, greed, and other vices.

These result in further accumulation of karmas. To liberate one's self, Mahavira taught the necessity of right faith (samyak-darshana), right knowledge (samyak-jnana), and right conduct (samyak-charitra'). At the heart of right conduct for Jains lie the five great vows: • Nonviolence (Ahimsa) - not to cause harm to any living beings;

• Truthfulness (Satya) - to speak the harmless truth only;

• Non-stealing (Asteya) - not to take anything not properly given;

• Chastity (Brahmacharya) - not to indulge in sensual pleasure;

• Non-possession/Non-attachment (Aparigraha) - complete detachment from people, places, and material things.

Jains believe these vows cannot be fully implemented without accepting the philosophy of non-absolutism (Anekantvada) and the theory of relativity (Syadvada, also translated "qualified prediction").

Monks and nuns follow these vows strictly, while common people follow them as far as possible. Mahavira stated men and women are spiritually equal and that both may renounce the world in search of moksh or ultimate happiness.

Mahavira attracted people from all walks of life, rich and poor, men and women, touchable and untouchable. He organized his followers into a fourfold order; monk (Sadhu), nun (Sadhvi), layman (Shravak), and laywoman (Shravika).

This order is known as Chaturvidh Jain Sangh. Mahavira's sermons were orally compiled by his immediate disciples in the Agam Sutras. These Agam Sutras were orally passed on to future generations. In the course of time many Agam Sutras have been lost, destroyed, or modified.

About one thousand years later the Agam Sutras were recorded on Tadpatris (leafy paper used in those days to preserve records for the future). Swetambar Jains accept these sutras as authentic teachings while Digambar Jains use them as a reference.