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Jainism

The Arhats and Bhagavats of the past, present, and future, all say thus, speak thus, declare thus, explain thus: all breathing, existing, living, sentient creatures should not be slain, nor treated with violence, nor abused, nor tormented, nor driven away. (Akaranga Sutra, Book 1, Fourth Lecture, Called Righteousness, First Lesson [offsite])

ca 2000 BCE | As the last of the twenty-four Tirthakaras (perfectly enlightened ones), Mahâvîra’s (599-527 BCE) teachings evolved into the Sacred Jain Texts dating Jainism and the concept of Ahimsa 1500 years prior (The Kalpa Sutra, "Life of Mahâvîra, Lecture 2" [offsite]). A detailed discussion of Jain Sources [offsite] identifies the Äcäräõga, along with the Sütrakôtäõga, the Uttarädhyayana and the Kapla Sütra as the oldest and most important from the literary point of view of the Jaina canonical Sütras [offsite] which enlighten us about the life and original teachings of Mahävïra. Considered one of the more noteworthy of the ancient texts of Jainism, the Äcäräõga Sutra [offsite] elaborates on the first vow of a Jain, that of Ahimsa, the avoidance of "himsa" or injury toward any living being.

Although sometimes thought to have arisen in Hinduism, "the double doctrine of ahimsa and vegetarianism has never had full and unchallenged acceptance and practice among Hindus, and should not be considered to have arisen in Brahminical circles. It seems more probable that it originated in non-Brahminical environment, and was promoted in historic India by the Jains and adopted by Brahmanism Hinduism." (W. Norman Brown, Man in the Universe, qtd. in Bal Patil, "Minority Recognition for the Jain Community")

ca 599-527 BCE | As the last of the twenty-four Tirthakaras (perfectly enlightened ones), Mahâvîra’s (599-527 BCE) teachings evolved into the Sacred Jain Texts. (The Kalpa Sutra, "Life of Mahâvîra, Lecture 2" [offsite].

ca 300 BCE | Considered one of the more noteworthy of the ancient texts of Jainism (Jain, Jain Sutra Sources), the Äcäräõga Sutra [offsite] elaborates on the first vow of a Jain, that of Ahimsa, the avoidance of "himsa" or injury toward any living being. The Kalpa Sutra [offsite] devoted to the life of Mahâvîra, dates Jainism and the concept of Ahimsa to 2000 BCE.

Transcriber's Notes

The Akaranga Sutra and The Kalpa Sutras in Jaina Sutras, Translated from Prakrit by Hermann Jacobi, Vol. 22 of The Sacred Books of the East (Oxford, 1884; Sacret-Texts.com).

Prof. W. Norman Brown, Man in the Universe, [from his Tagore Memorial Lectures, 1965-66] University of California Press, 1966) Quoted in Bal Patil, "Minority Recognition for the Jain Community".

K. C. Jain, Jainism Sources in Various Topics Prepared on Jain History by Dr. K. C. Jain and His Team.

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