Positive Non Violence

SR No.: 006917
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kanhaiyalal Lodha, Dalpatsingh Baya
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy
Publication Year: 2011
Total Pages: 344
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 5 MB

Page 39

Again, if the whole society starts observing absolute non-violence towards all the creatures of the six kinds of living beings and does not indulge in even minor forms of violence towards lower order of lives in supporting the monastic institution, will there be any existence of this institution? Will this institution be able to, or even need to, survive in the face of absolute non-violence? Therefore, it is not right to ignore the positive aspects of non-violence in the name of absolute nonviolence. The violence that is committed for instituting safety and security measures is unavoidable.
Exceptional and Positive Non-violence -
The consideration of violence and non-violence is mainly internal. A vigilant person who is above the feelings of attachment and aversion is non-violent even when he is seen committing some sort of violence externally while a negligent person who is given to attachment and aversion is essentially violent even when he refrains from committing external violence. Also, on one side to refrain from activities of positive non-violence in the name of observing absolute non-violence and to enact exceptions for meeting one's or one's social and religious orders
just not justified. If we accept that some minor violence is necessary for supporting a monk or the monastic institution and some exceptions can be made in the observance of absolute non-violence to meet this end, we will also have to accept some exceptions therein in order to undertake some activities for furthering the weal of the living beings at large.
Again, the householders who do not take the vow of absolute non-violence and do indulge in violence towards one-sensed creatures in his day to day activities and who is bound to obviate only the intentional violence (sankalpajā himsā) towards the higher mobile forms of life and is permitted incidental or occupational violence (ārambhajā himsā), industrial violence (udyogajā himsā) and oppositional or defensive violence (virodhajā himsa) towards them is certainly not entitled to refuse the activities of positive non-violence in order to protect or save other living beings under the pretext that it involves some sort
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Positive Non-Violence