World Religions Conference November 1957

SR No.: 034661
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sushil Muni
Publisher: Achal Singh Seth
Publication Year: 1957
Total Pages: 192
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 10 MB

Page 114

Vishudhananda Mahathera from Pakistan
At the present period of history, in mid-twentieth century, when tension among individuals and nations, tends to run at a high pitch and while one looks at the deadly possibility, with a bottomless pit of destruction gaping at humanity, one instantaneously realises the supreme
Metta) and compassion (karuna) the two essential creeds of Buddha for human understanding and amity, the efficacy of which was never more intensely realised than to-day.
Buddha is a revolutionist and he is the first man in history to rebel against all forms of dogmas and even said about his own religlon, "Do not accept merely because I say but test, question, examine and then if you find it acceptable, accept". In other words he appealed to the voice of reason in man.
It is a matter of great satisfaction that non-violence is to-day being regarded as the only way of human survival. This philosophy of Non-Violence or Ahmlsa, had its first rational and logical origin more than 2500 years ago in Buddha. He went far beyond the surface and dived deep into analysing the root cause of human suffering which is essentially related to the concept of Ahmisa. He traces the causes of human suffering into three fundamental factors viz. Greed, Hatred and Ignorance-Lobha, Krodha, Moha as they are known in Buddhist scripture. If these fundamental factors are rooted out, man is shorn of his evil consciousness and dawns upon a good consciousness (Chetana). .
To Buddha, consciousness or chetana is the motive-spring that matters. For example, when a man strikes a rope taking it to be a snake, he commits sin and violence, since he has the ulterior consciousness of sin. But if some one takes a snake to be rope and Innocently strikes it to remove it he does not commit any sin or violence even if the snake is perchance injured, since he had an innocent motive and was guided by a righteous consciousness. Buddha's Is thus a dynamic philosophy and to him it is consciousness alone that matters, for good motive and righteous consciousness is the only thing that is to be taken into consideration. To Buddha therefore, the concept of Ahimsa finds a dynamic and new connotation.
Hence if in the individual as well in collective relationships, we can shake off the three fundamental vices of Greed, Hatred and Ignorance and can arouse a righteous conciousness, then a new human relationship is brought out and hence conflict between man and man, society and society, and nation and nation will cease, resulting in the ushering in of a new society. Non-Violence would not then be a mere talk but a reality. Let ignorance be shaken off and righteous
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