Executive Briefing: Non-Violence as Supreme Truth
In Jainism, Ahimsa is not merely a passive avoidance of harm; it is an exhaustive spiritual discipline extending to thoughts (*Manasa*), words (*Vachana*), and physical actions (*Karmana*) towards all living beings down to microscopic organisms (*Nigodas*).
1. The Five Mahavratas (Great Vows)
Ascetic monks undertake Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truthfulness), Achaurya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (chastity), and Aparigraha (non-possession), wearing mouth cloths (*Muhapatti*) and sweeping the ground with peacock feathers to avoid stepping on insects.
2. References
- Jaini, P. S. (1979). The Jaina Path of Purification. University of California Press.