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surprising that the perpetrators of these misconceptions are great scholars and sages. The common man may not be accused of having illusions about ahinsā but scholars and sages certainly have such illusions. Driven by these illusions they create philosophies and scriptures. Some of these interesting misconceptions are given here.
The apprehensive people: There are some that are apprehensive of violence in every deed of non-violence (ahiisā). Because of these apprehensions they censure acts like amnesty, donation, offering protection, etc. They say that if a man, cow, or other animal is dying of hunger food should not be offered because the food contains a large number of living organism and they all will be killed. By giving food the dying being will be saved and whatever sins he commits then will be to your account.
If a cat pounces on a mouse you should not save it. Mouse is natural food for cat. Why acquire demerit of depriving a cat of its food by trying to save a mouse. If the mouse is saved, it is you who will be responsible for all the sins committed by the mouse.
I am surprised that no one indulges in such philosophical contemplation regarding his own food. Himsā and ahimsā is in our mental attitudes and inclinations, not in the things or acts. When we offer food to the hungry and save the dying we are filled with compassion. Therefore, that is ahimsā not hiisā. If this is not accepted the whole social framework will collapse."
Here arises a question - all this imagination about himsā and ahirsū is erroneous. It sprouts out of our idiosyncrasies. The soul is never destroyed; it is indestructible and absolutely immortal. Therefore, who can kill whom? Who can cause harm to whom?
There is another perspective - If a cat kills a mouse the resulting state of the soul of the mouse must have been its fate. Everything is predetermined. In that case the mouse is not going to be saved by our effort. If the mouse is to die it will certainly die whether it is killed by the cat or otherwise. If it is fated to live it will live. Therefore, on what ground can we brand our act of saving as ahiisā and the act of killing by the cat as himsā?
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