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

Ahimsa: In the Eyes of Lord Buddha

Ahimsa: In the Eyes of Lord Buddha

Ahimsa is a Yogic word. It is the name of a stage of the mind or heart which a Sadhak (devotee) attains during his Bhajan and contemplation in a peaceful, tranquil atmosphere. This is not a word for general use. Kindness, no doubt, has got its great value and use in the society. Similarly tolerance, beneficence and benevolence play an important role in the society. But Ahimsa does not have a social use. Words like Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmcharya and Aparigrah are all Yogic words. What is the use of Brahmcharya for common people in the society? A special state which occurs in the heart of a Mahapurush who remains lost in contemplation in some dense forest, is known as Ahimsa.

The physical body is mortal. How can you protect that which does not exist? Only that can be protected which exists. Hence protection of physical body can not be Ahimsa.

Actually that which obstructs the path of self-realization and diverts to disorders is Himsa. On the contrary such acts which smoothen the spiritual path and self-restraint are called “Ahimsa-observance”. True Ahimsa enables the attainment of one’s eternal form and that stage which liberates one from the cycles of birth and death. This is the real Ahimsa.

Some years back I had a chance to go to Ladhak which exists in the valley of the Himalayas. The border of Tibet starts after fourteen kilometers from there. The atmosphere is very cold and the air has scanty oxygen. It is situated at the height of thirteen to fourteen thousand feet. One breathes there with nose and mouth both. After some days one gets acclimatized and starts breathing with nose sufficiently. There a function was organised for the installation of the idol of Lord Buddha.

A religious concourse was also organized at this occasion. Who was Lord Buddha? What did he teach?- Such were the points of discussion. I too was called to speak on this topic. I spoke for an hour or two and said that it was a matter of pride that all those were present there were fortunate to be the followers of Lord Buddha and were busy in contemplation on the moral conduct of the great Mahapurush. You have said a lot of things about him but we, who belong to his own family-line, know him more closely.

I thoroughly and methodically explained to them about him and his actions. I explained to them also that Jainism and Buddhism are not separate from Sanatan Dharm. They are nothing but the groups of the disciples of the enlightened Sadguru. The Mahapurushas delivered their gospels in different regional languages, so they appear to be different. But the truth which they expounded is one. Dharm is never multiple. It is one in the whole creature and there is only one way to attain God.

Whatever I said there, was corroborated by a professor who taught Buddhism in England. He taught the same things. Concluding his talk he said that Swamiji spoke truth when he propounded that Buddhism and Hinduism were same but in our religion Ahimsa played a disastrous role. It is on account of Ahimsa that Tibet was devoured by China and India by the Arab. India was enslaved. The invaders took away a large number of Hindus with their tied hands and sold men and women at a throw-away price. It is no doubt bitter and unpleasant to hear such things but such things did happen. If again people committed same mistakes and remained unvigilant such happenings would again occur in future. Wherever disunity prevails, such incidents do take place. The crux of his talk was that had there been no faith in Ahimsa in India, China could not have grabbed Tibet.

When Tibet was annexed by China with its state; his holiness Dalai Lama took asylum in India. His followers were highly opposed to it. They alleged that it was Ahimsa which tied the hands of Indians at their back. Indians fear in killing any creature and the consequences of hell.

I explained to them that Ahimsa was wrongly interpreted and wrongly understood. What Lord said was misinterpreted by the followers. So a fresh look at it is most warranted.