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ties leads to greater satisfaction with one's life. Patanjali, like Bhagavadgita suggests that more contentment or the greater increase in satisfaction comes from caring less about the outcome of our action. He calls this attitude as surrendering to the Lord [Ishvara-pranidhana]. In this way practicing constructive behavior and cultivating right attitude are powerful implements for improving our own state of mind. They help us to become happier and more peaceful.
Really speaking, just Yamas- self restraints preached by Patanjali, are sincerely followed can solve several problems faced by modern world and they are powerful means to establish global peace.
The first cardinal precept is Ahimsa- non violence, not to harm or not to kill but to cherish all life. It is not negative concept, but positive doctrine of love and friendship, equality and fraternity amongst all living beings of the world. It is giving up sense of separateness, selfishness and otherness and identifying oneself with all other beings. Violence is the beastly nature. In the humanization and divinization of human being, the first step is to eliminate his beastly nature. The predominant trait in beasts is cruelty. Ahimsa or nonviolence is antidote to beastly cruel nature. Therefore Sage Patanjali prescribes principle of Ahimsa to be followed by all. [Yogasutra.II.30-31). This is the most effective master method to counteract and eradicate completely the cruel, brutal beastly nature in man. Ahimsa is another name for universal love. Practice of Ahimsa develops this love. It also stands for compassion, selfless service and kind heartedness. Ahimsa is the noblest and best of traits that are found expressed in the daily life and activities of perfected souls. Ahimsa- refraining from causing pain to any living being is a distinctive quality emphasized by Indian ethos. This principle upholds peace. If we want peace we should choose path of peace. In contemporary world the need of non-violence has become more pressing than ever before, because of its manifold applications. It appears to be an efficient method of settling political, racial and other social problems. Mahatma Gandhi said that "non-violence is needed for lasting peace. Today owing to scientific development, mankind possesses new destructive weapons. The global security does not lie in natural science or technology. These circumstances have created a situation where man should make a choice between peace based on nonviolence and total destruction. War and Peace-I-II). Again, he says, "nonviolence is not weapon of weak person. The follower of non-violence will not allow evil forces to conquer society. He will not fight as the most ardent militant, but his method is different. His resistance is intellectual, moral and spiritual, not physical. He will not fight like animals." (Peace and War- I-II].
There are many false notions about non-violent action. But recent history tells that all kinds of tensions can be resolved through non-violent struggle. Non-violent strategies of social change have proven remarkably
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| SR No. | 007005 |
| Book Title | World of Philosophy |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave |
| Publisher | Shanti Prakashan |
| Publication Year | 2011 |
| Total Pages | 1002 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 30 MB |