Verse 7.13 - Definition of hiṃsā (injury)

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Tattvartha sūtra 7.13:

प्रमत्तयोगात्प्राणव्यपरोपणं हिंसा ॥ ७.१३ ॥

pramattayogātprāṇavyaparopaṇaṃ hiṃsā || 7.13 ||

The severance of vitalities (prāṇa) due to the activity of the soul tinged with passionate disposition–pramattayoga–is injury (hiṃsā). (13)

Hindi Anvayarth:

अन्वयार्थ: [प्रमत्तयोगात्] कषाय-राग-द्वेष अर्थात् अयत्नाचार (असावधानी-प्रमाद) के सम्बन्ध से अथवा प्रमादी जीव के मन-वचन-काय योग से [प्राणव्यपरोपणं] जीव के भाव-प्राण का, द्रव्य-प्राण का अथवा इन दोनों का वियोग करना सो [हिंसा] हिंसा है।

Anvayartha: [pramattayogat] kashaya-raga-dvesha arthat ayatnacara (asavadhani-pramada) ke sambandha se athava pramadi jiva ke mana-vacana-kaya yoga se [pranavyaparopanam] jiva ke bhava-prana ka, dravya-prana ka athava ina donom ka viyoga karana so [himsa] himsa hai |

Explanation in English from Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi:

The vow (vrata) has been described as desisting from injury (hiṃsā), etc. But specific activities that constitute injury (hiṃsā), etc., have not been mentioned. Now these are explained one after another. First injury (hiṃsā) is defined.

‘Pramāda’ connotes the state of the soul with passions (kaṣāya). The disposition of the soul with ‘pramāda’ is called ‘pramatta’. The activity (yoga) of such a soul is ‘pramattayoga’. The ten vitalities or life-principles (prāṇa) are the five senses, and so on (see sūtra 2-14, p. 78). Severance of these vitalities (all the ten vitalities are not present in all living beings) is called injury (hiṃsā). It is wicked as it causes pain and suffering to the living beings. The qualifying phrase ‘activity of the soul tinged with passionate disposition’–pramattayoga is intended to indicate that mere severance of the vitalities is not wicked. It has been said, “Even with the severance of life one is not stained with the sin of injury.” Again it has been said, “The ascetic who observes diligently the fivefold regulation of activities (samiti) does not cause bondage even if he has caused injury to the living beings.” From the spiritual standpoint, just as infatuation (mūrcchā) is called attachment-to-possession (parigraha), the disposition of the soul tinged with attachment (rāga) is the cause of injury (hiṃsā).

Now, it has been admitted in the Scripture that mere passionate attitude, even without the severance of vitalities, constitutes injury (hiṃsā)–“A person following right conduct, due to the absence of passions like attachment, does not commit the slightest of injury (hiṃsā) although he may have occasioned severance of vitalities. Infatuated by passions like attachment, when a person acts carelessly, he commits injury (hiṃsā), whether the living being is killed or not.” Yes, it is true. But there is no inconsistency in this. In case of the person tinged with passionate disposition–pramattayoga–there is the severance of life-principles, at least in thought. It has been said thus in the Scripture–“He who is tinged with passionate disposition causes injury (hiṃsā) to himself by himself. Whether injury (hiṃsā) is caused to other living beings or not is immaterial.”