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Jainism: The Cosmic Vision Non-violence as a creed is unique and Mahavira observed : The earth, water, fire, wind and plants - all have life in them and we must accept and respect their existence. If you deny their existence, you deny your own. And that's also a form of violence. If you accept that life exists in these elements, you are really non-violent and such a thinking can become the foundation of modern environment.
Mahavira's non-violence is the result of a supremely compassionate soul which accepts the principle of equality of all living creatures.
He not merely preached or propagated non-violence, but practised it and his life has been its embodiment. His experiment with non-violence turned Vardhaman into Mahavira. He made his body suffer a variety of pains and got rid of the attachment to the body. As a result, no obstacles could come his way during the course of rigorous penance. One, who is attached to the body, can never be non-violent.
He gave up his abode in the Duijjant Tapas ashram near Vaishali when he realised that his penance might hurt others in the vicinity and he sought refuge in forests or some deserted places. He suffered all types of pains that life offered him without complaining. While in a state of deep meditation, nothing touched him as his inner consciousness was aroused. The very thought of violence would result in formation of Karma (a form of matter), he believed. Telling lies or to behave in a way which would cause pain to others or to support a violent act is also a form of violence, according to Mahavira. Violence is first born in mind and then is reflected in speech and behaviour. It is truly said: "War is born in the minds of
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A Journey of Ahimsa men." Non-violence be reflected in thought, speech and action and from the principle of non-violence is born truth, celibacy, non possessiveness and anekant (respecting different viewpoints). Possessiveness and violence are related and therefore, without practising non-possessiveness. aparigraha - it is difficult to practise non-violence. Aparigraha is not poverty, but abdication of inessentials. It can restore economic equality in the world. Greed breeds cruelty and compassion can flow only when one gets rid of greed and develops a sense of treating all as equals. Thus Bhagwan Mahavira's concept of non-violence is not an external thing, but a way of life with a basis in mind and heart.
परस्परोपग्रहो जीवानाम् - Each living creature depends on another living creature. He subjected his concept of non-violence to a very rigorous test. He, along with his disciple Goshalak, visited a region Radh inhabited by a ruthless and murderous tribe. There he saw fierce dogs feeding on human flesh, but Mahavira did not use even a stick to ward of the blood thirsty hounds. He wandered among the violent, barbaric tribe unarmed and spread the message of non-violence.
The moot question is - why are we celebrating this year as a Year of Non-violence ? The reason is that humanity today is enveloped by violent forces. Violence was there in the times of Mahavira, too, but then there was no alternative to it. Today we have with us the concept of non-violence and its practice has led to amazing results which are recorded in history. Ironically enough, we still resort to violence to solve our problem when the results of non-violence are there for all to see. The distortions, that have crept into our thinking, have led
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