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longer lasting but its results can still be reduced by observing
sincere penance and repentance. • Like drawing a line in stone or steel. This is also called
anootaanbandhi and is the severest type of himsa. This is a permanent line and cannot easily be eliminated. The doer must bear its fruits and suffer punishment. The following metaphor illustrates the level or degree of himsa situations that we all come across in life. Imagine an apple tree and a hungry man. He has many choices, including: • He can pick up only those apples that are already fallen on
the ground. By doing so, he commits the least amount of
himsa, if any. • He can raise his hands, grab a branch of the apple tree, and
pluck however many apples he needs to satiate his hunger. Here the degree or level of himsa is slightly greater. • He might shake the whole apple tree. Many apples fall on
the ground whereas he needs only a few for his needs. The level of himsa has increased significantly as he has expended
energy against the tree beyond his needs. • He cuts a branch of the tree, from whence he picks a
few apples for his needs. Obviously this level of himsa is unnecessary. • He cuts down the entire tree, so that no one can ever pluck
apples from it again. This is a case of extreme himsa. The image above, illustrating the metaphor, allows us to reflect upon whether the amount of himsa being done is necessary, moral, and unavoidable, or whether it can be reduced, minimized, or avoided entirely. In life, there are always such choices. In the following paragraphs we describe the hierarchy of himsa and inflicted pain, as well as the actions and modes that cause himsa.
An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide
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