Ahimsa (Non-Violence): In View of Indian Sages

Ahimsa: In the Sight of Mahavir Swami

Ahimsa: In the Sight of Mahavir Swami

No, where in the world we find so much extremist and confounding approach with regard to Ahimsa as we find it in India. Here non-killing of living creatures has been taken as synonymous to Ahimsa. No where in the world Ahimsa is worshipped. How many followers of Ahimsa are there in Arab? Is there any record of Ahimsa in Europe? How many publicity-managers are there in Australia? What is the use of such a concept of Ahimsa in Siberia where not even a blade of grass grows and where people keep their body and soul together by eating ‘seal fish’ and ‘Kawak’ (moss)?

Ahimsa is never a folk word. It is actually an inner ennobled spiritual state which one attains from the Yogic-practices. But unfortunately people related it with day to day ways of worldly life. They call such mundane use of Ahimsa the philosophy of Mahavir. Let us now try to know what Mahabir has said, what his sermons speak.

Pandit Vidyabhushan Ji, while commenting on the 106th shlok of ‘Ratnakarand – Shrawakachar’ written by Acharya Samantbhadre, writes- “Sheer renunciation of food is not true fast, it is nothing but imposed fasting. ‘Upawas’ (fasting) implies renunciation of all the five sensuous objects and the renunciation of styptic impulses like wrath etc. along with the food of all the four kinds and getting absorbed in meditation for self-realization.

Thus ‘Upwas’ (fasting) is the practice of dissociating the senses from sensual objects which is done day and night, always. In the next shlok, he writes that during the period of ‘Upwas’ the Jainies should not do any agriculture work, should not do any business should not render any service. It these duties of daily life are abjured, then what to do? The Jainies should not eat the lower portion of the vegetables and the seeds of fruits etc. They should not eat leaves. They should take filtered or boiled water only. They should keep their mouth and nose well-covered with a cloth. They have been ordained to atone for one month if any living creature is killed by them. Now the question arises why dinner at night should not be taken?

Every Mahapurush have been prescribing to his followers the typical modes of living – how to walk, how to sit and how to get up. We find the reference of Mahatma Bharat who preceded even Lord Mahavir. The followers of Jainism regard him as the second Tirthankar. He was the son of Rishabhdeo and was an emperor. After renouncing his state and the stately comforts, he became a saint. He was a highly evolved saint. He laid down the rules as follows:

‘Pani Piye Chhan Ke, Guru Kare Jaan ke.’

“One should drink water only after filtering it, one should accept a Guru only after filtering it, knowing him well, one should walk in the way carefully, one should not do anything without giving proper thought to it to avoid repentance through out the whole life.”

One should take filtered water because water-pollution causes a number of diseases. That is why even on special occasions like marriage celebrations bottled water is served today. Such filtered water is being sold at higher prices than milk. This is not to protect the germs of water but to protect one’s health.

Similarly‘Guru Kare Jaan Ke’-implies that that one should not accept in hurry any Tom Dick and Harry as one’s Guru. Guru is a spiritual state- ‘Nasti TatwamGuroh Param’. He is such a being who never decays. The immortal being is the Supreme Guru. Keeping such a being in mind one should identify one’s Guru.

A man should cautiously move in the way otherwise small pieces of stones, thorns etc. might pierce into the foot, a snake or a scorpion might sting and any untoward incident might occur so one should cautiously move in the way. Similarly in life also one should be cautious in taking any decision to avoid impending disasters and anxieties.