The thesis entitled “A Comparative Study the Abstention from the Destruction of Life (Pāṇātipātā) in Theravada Buddhism and Jainism” has three objectives: 1) to study the abstention from the destruction of life in Theravada Buddhism, 2) to study the abstention from the destruction of life in Jainism, and 3) to comparatively study the abstention from the destruction of life in Theravada Buddhism and Jainism. This study is of documentary research.

The results of the study were as follows:

The abstention of the destruction of life in Theravada Buddhism is the refraining from harming others physically and verbally that will cause others die. There are 6 kinds of killing, they are; 1) killing by oneself, 2) ordering other to kill,
3) discharging weapon to kill, 4) killing with the unmoved tool, 5) killing with the power of black magic, and 6) killing with supernatural power by having the opposite dhamma, viz., loving kindness (mettā), karuna—wish for happiness and no maliciousness to man and animal.

The destruction of life in Jainism is the refraining from harming the living being even in the smallest thing both visible and indivisible, for, all of these have soul (jīva). This is the way to behave to all living being in all contexts whether by action, speaking, and thinking, following the nonviolence as the absolute-dhamma, the real truth and the most important of all teachings. There are three kinds of nonviolence:
1) the abstention from physical harming, 2) the abstention from verbal harming, and 3) abstention from mental harming by having the criterial judgement, viz., volition (cetanā). In addition, there are dhamma that support to each other, namely, generosity, loving kindness (mettā) being applied on the restraint (yati)— dhamma for life and society, including environmental conservation

From the comparison of the abstention from the destruction of life in Theravada Buddhism and Jainism, it was found that  both of them have the view that this the virtue that builds peace and happiness to society aiming at letting all sections of society live together peacefully and happily without harming to each other. The society has peace and happiness because of this virtue that sustains peace and happiness to the world without jostling and haring with each other, but building benefit to society incalculably. Buddhism sees the value of life only on man and animal, whereas Jainism sees all life with kindness, aiming at peace and happiness to all beings whether man, animal, or plant.

Download