Jainism and compassion
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As in the Âchârâñg Sûtr
Surendra Bothara, Compassion, Bedrock Of Universal Fraternity, December 29, 2018: The Times of India
In the Acaranga Sutra, the earliest available Jain scripture, Mahavira gives the first, basic and universal definition of ahimsa: “I pronounce that … nothing which breathes, which exists, which lives, and which has any essence or potential of life, should be destroyed or ruled over, subjugated, harmed, or denied of its essence or potential.… In support of this truth I ask you a question, ‘Is sorrow or pain desirable to you?’ If you say, ‘Yes, it is,’ it would be a lie, as it is against the evident reality. If you say, ‘No, it is not,’ you will be telling the truth. What I want to add to the truth expressed by you is that as sorrow or pain is not desirable to you, so it is to all that breathe, exist, live, or have any essence of life. To you and all it is undesirable, and painful, and repugnant.”
We effortlessly recognise signs of suffering in an individual of our own class and it spontaneously gives rise to a feeling of sympathy. That is the origin of compassion, the feeling of empathy and kindness for suffering, sorrow and anguish of another. It inspires one to indulge in acts of amelioration of suffering and to abstain from acts of violence. This way, compassion becomes the driving force of vibrant ahimsa. This definition clearly places compassion at the core of ahimsa, making it the bedrock of universal fraternity.
Driven by this sentiment of compassion when we serve somebody, we see that the recipient’s immediate response is of contentment and joy. A mutually satisfying bond is formed between the server and the one being served. Such interaction, besides being satisfying, is also edifying to the extent of being communicable. As a result, the sentiment spreads as long as it is not opposed by an intense, negative sentiment like animosity.
Man is a social animal. Reciprocity is an essential trait in society and that facilitates any sentiment gaining a wider acceptance. At a social level this plays a vital role in promoting and maintaining social harmony. Compassion acts as the binding force in social relationships and manifests at all levels as affinity, sympathy, fraternity, love and altruism.
Compassion is not pity, it is empathy. It is to wish for the welfare of both friend and foe. Compassion for a friend is easy to understand but the same feeling for one who tries to harm you is difficult to digest. To understand this, we have to be impartial and considerate enough to understand that he who wants to harm you is, in fact, a troubled soul and your compassion can relieve him of his ailment. As both compassion and violence have their roots in survival instinct, the most potent force to counter violence is compassion.
The Acaranga Sutra establishes ahimsa and compassion as universal and eternal truths. As such compassion does not stop at philanthropy, it extends to universal fraternity for all beings and to matter, as well. It is a fundamental principle applicable to all facets of life. At the same time, in the form of nontransgression/ non-interference, it also extends to all dimensions of the physical world. It is not just about feelings and spirituality, it is also about equilibrium in the physical universe. Anything conducive to balance in temporal and spatial dimensions is ahimsa and the sentiment of compassion is the driving force of ahimsa.
