Non-Violence: An Epitome of Religion by Kumarpal Desai.
Jain Dharma is a religion of Non -Violence. In observing the pious festival of Paryushan, let us examine the prominence of Non-Violence in Jain Dharma. More than 2500 years ago, Bhagwan Mahavira said “Just as no mountain is taller than Meru and nothing is bigger than the sky, there is no religion like Non-Violence”.
Today the world is on the peak of violence it is eager to understand the deeper meaning of non-violence by Bhagwan Mahavira. At the gathering of many religious leaders at the United Nation’s Chapple on April 25, 2002, to celebrate Mahavir Jayanti, when non-violence of Mahavira was presented, a Christian leader approached me and said, “Give us a Mahavira for today’s world”!
The reason is that the deep analysis and all-encompassing nature of Ahimsa presented in the principles of Mahavira is not found anywhere else. Commonly, hurting or killing someone is considered Hinsa or Violence. But Jain philosophy says that to have an evil thought about someone or to give mental space to criticism or hatred for anyone is also Hinsa. We know that giving birth to such fillings transforms into animosity and war. If the mind evicts animosity than how ill feelings can remain?
The second thought of Bhagwan Mahavira is that if you cannot give life, you have no right to take away life. Such violence awakens more violence and eventually, animosity multiplies. For this reason, Ahimsa is the epitome of Dharma and Violence is the root of all sins and despair.
The third thought he gave us is to consider the soul of every life the same as our own soul (Acharang Sutra). Not just “Live and Let Live” but “Reverence for all lives” is the message. We know that man’s exhaustive consumption of all non-human species is putting humans in a dangerous state. At the root of Corona pandemic is the “Wet Market”. By extracting animals from their natural habitat, man has created a huge blunder. It took ten thousand years for a species to disappear. Now every twenty minutes a species is extinct.
The fourth observation of Mahavira is that one who can be cruel to animals can also be cruel to humans. Cruelty resides in the heart and a man hoarding cruelty in his heart can spring it on animals or humans. Some years ago, research in Russia demonstrated that most of the people who were dealt death penalty enjoyed their childhood tormenting or killing snakes, frogs, and squirrels, etc.
As to Ahimsa, Lord Mahavir said that Himsa is not just an outer activity, it is an internal septic instinct. The one who has kindness in his heart will exhibit kindness to all – humans, animals, and nature. For that reason, Mahavir’s message in Agams is “The one you are trying to kill is also yourself, the one you are trying to rule is also you, and the one you are trying to bother is also yourself, and the one you are trying to kill is none other than yourself. For this reason, a wise man does not hurt anyone and does not rule on anyone.
The sixth glory of Ahimsa is: “Parsparopagraho Jivanam” meaning all lives live by co-operating with each other. We know this now if the animal kingdom perishes, there will be a great danger to the human race. Similarly, destroying trees and deforestation will spell a disaster for human lives.
The seventh fact is more than 2,500 years ago, Jain Dharma talked about plants as living beings. The teaching was: Earth, water, fire, and air all are living beings. It means that if we do not accept that we are also rejecting our own existence.
The eighth truth is that acceptance of life in all mobile or stationary, seen, or unseen beings is Ahimsa.
The ninth truth is violent speech or deeds cause bondage of Karma. Meaning the thought of violence causes violent speech or deeds.
Going further, the tenth truth stresses that hurting others is not the only violence one can indulge in. In fact, lending support to another person’s violent acts, to become accessory to it, or to praise him for it is also Himsa.
The eleventh teaching is that one could be born in one species and reborn in another species. That is the rule of re-incarnation. One could be a bird and in the next life be born as a human. For that reason, man has no right to inflict pain on non-human creatures. One must behave with equanimity towards all beings – friend or a foe.
................................KUMARPAL DESAI.................................
It is easy to say, but difficult to follow. I am in the same boat with everyone else, or I may even be behind, but thinking in the right direction will help us to go in the right direction.
THANK YOU.
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MY SPIRITUAL INSPIRATION , SOURCE & THE GURUS:
I am inspired to hear & read the Vedic Scriptures by regularly listening to Sri Pandurang Shashtri Athvale, also known as Dadaji ( speaks on Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Veda based discourses & western philosophy ) and the association of Swadhyay Parivar every Sunday in Swadhya Kendra.
I also hear and read the discourses & literature on Vedic thoughts from Srila Prabhupada, his disciples & grand disciples ( HH Bhakti Rasamitra Swami, HH Chaitanya Charandas Prabhu, Shubha Vilas Prabhu, Vraja Vihari Dasa, Sutapa Das, Amarnath Dasa, HH Bhakticharu Swami, HH Urmila Devi Dasi, HH Sivarama Swami, HH Radhanath Swami, HH Romapada Swami, Lal Govind Prabhu (Gujarati & Hindi), Prahalad Maharaj in Surat (Gujarati) .......and many more from ISKCON......).
FYI: A good source of Vedic literature: Vedabase.com Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the essence & Srimad Bhagavatam (SB) is the nectar of all Vedic scriptures. Repeatedly hearing/reading & meditating the Scriptures, Eating Sanctified Pure Food and Chanting or Hearing the Vedic Mantras are nourishing to our heart (Soul), transcendental to our consciousness, purifying to our senses and thus helps us to overcome our weaknesses or deficiencies. Yes, we do have good qualities within us but there is always a room for improvement. The beautiful Bhāgavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyāsadeva [in his maturity], is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhāgavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart.
It is always a good idea to share our good thoughts & knowledge with others. Thanks to the Facebook & Social media for providing me the platform. Of course I use Smartphone & Google search to collect some data.
Besides my parents, wife, teachers, family & friends GREATFUL to EVERYONE WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED in MY LIFE. Hopefully my enthusiasm will continue by Grace of the Guru & God (Krishna , Absolute Truth).
NOTE:
Many times a word Hearing is used instead of Listening when it comes to the Scriptures. Because Scriptures are so potent that simply by Hearing them even if you don’t try to interpret or analyze or understand them still there will be passive positive effects on our mind & senses.
We can follow either the Quran, Bible,Torah, Tripitaka-Buddhism, Agama-Jainism, Guru Granth Sahib-Sikhism, Gita or any other Philosophy which makes sense to us, purifies us, elevates our consciousness and qualifies us to understand God and instill the love of God & his creation. (whichever way we can understand God — either Personal with many names or Impersonal as an universal consciousness & energy).
Don’t try to understand God by Name, Religion or Depiction (means image, picture...etc) but try to understand him by the Definition through Scriptures. The Transcendental subject of God & his creation cannot be understood by mental speculation. Some times people ask why God is Supreme? It is just like asking why is the circle circular? Just by definition, the circle is circular. Similarly by definition, God is unborn, complete, unlimited, infinite, eternal, the Absolute Truth the source of everything, cause of all causes.
I see God, besides the above mentioned qualities, as an eternal living person (not a abstract or some kind of light) known by the name KRISHNA meaning one who attracts everyone has also MANY other NAMES, forms, abodes, incarnations, activities, qualities, associates, is full of wisdom, bliss, and the cause of all causes.
Here Lord says in Gita
Bg 9.17 — I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable oṁ. I am also the Ṛg, the Sāma and the Yajur Vedas.
TEXT 18: Gita 9.18: I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the abode, the refuge and the most dear friend. I am the creation and the annihilation, the basis of everything, the resting place and the eternal seed.
Bg:13-12:— Accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth ( God ) – all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance. ( Vedabase.com ).
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