Non-Violence : A Natural, Dynamic and Live Value |
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- Dr. Ravindra Kumar
Non-violence, that is Ahimsa, is not a
rough thing, nor is it an inactive thought or a value established by
man. Non-violence is a natural, dynamic, active or live value.
Because of its permanent existence in human nature, its being
dynamic and active non-violence is an essential condition for
existence, development and the ultimate goal, and for this very
reason it is the first and absolutely necessary base of
civilization.
Best manifestation of non-violence
took place in Lord Mahavira. For Mahavira non-violence is the
soul-force. Besides being nucleus in Jain philosophy, the form of
non-violence that shaped in his individual practices and daily
routine, nevertheless, it did not exist in the life of any of his
contemporaries. It this regard Mahavira is unparallel even today;
and after him anybody equaled him or has been able to follow him
completely, is beyond my knowledge and belief.
Further for Gautama Buddha, and in
modern times, for Mahatma Gandhi, non-violence is, ultimately, a
natural value. As for many incarnations, prophets, philosophers and
thinkers, since ancient to modern times, for Buddha and Gandhi also
it is the principal human value. Although Gautama Buddha did not
directly accept the naturalness of non-violence, but the manner in
which he has repeated love for life as innate desire by all [Sabbes
Jeeviyam Piyam), and disliking for violence and punishment [Sabbe
Tashanta Dandassa], the conclusion is drawn that non-violence is a
natural value. Buddha laid stress on maximum purity in daily
practices and he called for practical non-violence as much as
possible. For this reason, non-violence became the subject of more
and more practices in his philosophy.
Mahatma Gandhi’s arguments that ‘man
has made consistence progress in direction of non-violence’ and in a
natural way ‘mankind moved towards non-violence for progresses’
spontaneously confirm the naturalness of this value from his side
also. For Gandhi too, non-violence is the subject of maximum
practices and ultimately its yardstick is the intention behind the
action. According to Mahatma Gandhi, importance lies in making
non-violence conducive to circumstances of time and space; it is the
base on which success of non-violence depends. No doubt, this
conception towards non-violence is acceptable to all-general or
particular.
Non-violence of Mahavira is the
soul-force whereas non-violence of Buddha and Gandhi is a natural
value. By speaking so, readers may presume that there is a
difference in views of Mahavira, Buddha or Gandhi regarding
non-violence. In other words, there is a difference between
above-mentioned concepts relating to non-violence in which it
soul-force according to Mahavira, while it is a natural value
according to Buddha and Gandhi. But in reality it is not so.
Definitely soul reflects the nature, or we can say that nature is
influenced by soul. Therefore, the one that is the soul-force is,
more or less, natural also.
So far as the question of non-violence
being dynamic and live or an active value is concerned, in that
Mahavira, Buddha, Gandhi and many other also, are unanimous. Let us
now have some discussion regarding non-violence being a dynamic and
active value.
As historical evidences confirm, in
its primitive age man adopted the technique of living and
stabilizing together. By doing so, man showed co-operation towards
fellow man, which, like affection, is another supplementary value of
non-violence. And interestingly, even in primitive age, after mutual
co-operation humans did not make a final stop. Man did not stop
satisfied at the feeling of his own safety and that of his
contemporaries. On the contrary he had a keen desire to move
forward. In other words, man was crazy enough to further develop the
sense of mutual co-operation. And this was the reason that he
continuously co-operated with others and established new records,
one after the other. Because of this natural instinct man is still
on the path of progress and he has to go further and further.
Despite the presence of many hurdles, worldly competitions and envy,
the instinct of co-operation with others could not elope from human
nature and it will never elope. Because of this instinct man will
remain active as far as possible, he shall continue to proceed
towards prosperity.
Not on the strength of any theory, but
on the basis of day-to-day practices and self-experiences, any one
can reach the conclusion that non-violence and non-violent
activities, and mainly co-operation, increases further with more
efforts; it becomes conducive to us. Therefore, it can be
emphatically said that non-violence is dynamic besides being an
active value. Needless to say that non-violence is in our nature and
it has the capacity to consistently develop. Any one who has least
doubt in the activeness of non-violence or its dynamism, he can
remove doubt by experiences of worldly practices of his own and
others. There can be no question mark on non-violence being an
active, dynamic and natural value.
Natural, active and dynamic value
non-violence is entirely linked to heroism, or in other words,
heroism is a necessary condition for it, and also an acid test of
non-violence. There is no correlation between non-violence and
cowardice. Vardhamana became Veera [the brave] on the strength of
non-violence and he became Mahavira by adopting it his life.
Non-violence has the power which
cannot be conquered by anyone. In the time of Buddha, Angulimal, who
wore garland of fingers extracted from the bodies of people killed
by him, once faced Buddha. Gautama Buddha was passing on his way
when Angulimal came in front of him and he challenged Buddha to
change his route, but Buddha did not care for his challenge. He was
an apostle of compassion [the karuna] and compassion is the best
supplementary value of non-violence. In this way, even being full of
compassion, Buddha was definitely a brave also. Why should he be
afraid of Angulimal? Buddha went on walking and at one time both
were in front of each other. Buddha stood before him with strait
eyes, but Angulimal could not see eye-to-eye; he got defeated and
became Buddha’s follower. This was the strength of non-violence.
Many more such examples can be cited,
but here I will discuss only one example more, which is related to
Mahatma Gandhi and then give full stop to my talk. It was the month
of March in the year 1930. Mahatma Gandhi was proceeding towards
Dandi from his Sabarmati ashram of Ahmedabad. A man of a place near
Bharoach, who was opposed to the principle of Gandhi, threatened him
to kill in a lonely place. Anyhow, Gandhi got the news. He was a
worshipper of non-violence and, therefore, fearless and brave also.
He knew that anyone having ill-will cannot withstand before the
power of non-violence. Two-three days passed. In the meantime Gandhi
got ascertained the name and address of that ill-willing person and
one day, in early hours, he confronted him. Gandhi told the man,
“Brother! I am Gandhi; you want my life. Take it soon, none will
know.” The man could not see eye to eye with the votary of
non-violence and became his follower. This is the reality of
natural, dynamic and active or live value non-violence and of
non-violent hero.
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