Page Text
________________
effective in numerous and divers situations in recent history. The rejection of British colonialism in India led by Mahatma Gandhi, the advances against racism during the civil rights movement in the United States led by Martin Luther King Jr., the movement to overthrow the Marcos regime in the Philippines led by Benigno Aquino and the revolutionary changes in South Africa, resulting in the abolition of the apartheid system led by Nelson Mandela.
This principle of non-violence or abstaining from killing is very important from the point of view of ecology. Not to kill includes all kinds of killings of animals, environment, rivers, lakes, ocean and forest. We are decimating many species by killing the environment. There is no way that these life forms can ever return to earth. The vacuum their absence creates can not be filled in any other way and such vacuum affects everything else in the ecosystem, no matter how small it is. We are killing the lakes with acid rain, dumping chemicals in to rivers and oceans, so they can not support any life. We are killing or polluting our atmosphere, through industries, excessive use of cars, machinery, so our children choke on the air they breathe. So, we have to change our attitude towards nature and cultivate respect and love for nature and all life forms, which is true non-violence in real sense.
The second precept is truthfulness, abstaining from lying, maintaining personal integrity. Truthfulness generates fearlessness. It has obvious relevance for every one working towards peace and justice. False propaganda must be stopped which spoils the mind of the people. There must be harmony between what we talk and act. Many leaders talk about world peace and conservation of nature, but in practice, act otherwise. Owners of Chemical companies, plastic manufacturers, all talk about their sensitivity towards the environment. This is lying which is to be stopped.
The third precept is non-stealing, not taking that which is not given. It indicates not to posses too much wealth or property by using improper means. It stands for non-exploitation of others for our own sake. Economic justice is the broad social application of non-stealing. By possessing too much which is not needed for your essential use, you are taking away many things from society, which is essential for other needy people. Non-stealing really stands for giving up greediness and cultivating generosity, the sense of giving. Ecologically, exploiting the earth is stealing. Taking away trees, you are stealing the habitat of several birds, cutting mountains, you are stealing the habitat of the animals that live on the mountains. We have to stop it. Animals and birds have a right to live on this earth.
The fourth Yama is sexual restraint. It repudiates the improper sexuality. Misguided indulgence and overindulgence in sex creates many social, physical and psychological problems and diseases. Our society is facing grave situations in the form of AIDS and other diseases on account of misuse of
913
| 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 |