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I AM MAHĀVĪRA
11
THE FARMER AND THE FISHERMAN
Once, Sinha-the army commander came to listen to my sermons. He asked me about violence and non-violence.
I asked him, "O Sinha, what prompted you to come to
me”?
Sinha answered, " Who would not like to pay a sacred visit
to you”?
I also thought, " Let me clear his mind about the violence
and non-violence through my sermons."
I, then, replied, " It is clear from what you have said, that
first you had a desire to see me and, then, you came to see me. Similarly, every activity has two forms; first, there are thoughts in mind. Second, the action follows thoughts. It means that every activity is done as per the thoughts. The thoughts for any activity are known as" volitions " (or mental dispositions or psyche). In contrast, the actual activity is called" Physical action". Similarly, the violence has also two forms: (1) thought about it (psychical violence) and (2) action according to thoughts (physical violence).
" O Lord, please explain this point to me in detail." Sinha
said.
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