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in withdrawal or 'Nivrttipariņāma' It is not, however, wholly a negative concept Deliberately engaging in good action in accordance with a rule also falls within the scope of Vrata That is why Vratas are not subsumed within 'Samvara'. Vratas include positive actions (Parispandātmaka) From the standpoint of 'niscayanaya', 'Vrata' is really a withdrawal of the will from alien objects and willing the self and dwelling within it Externally it implies compassion on beings while subjectively it means the abandonment of the passions In this sense, Vrata is the same as the purification of conduct-'Caritra' According to the range of the objects to which the Vrata applies it is divided into the two categories of 'mahāvrata' and 'anuvrata' Thus, 'Ahimsa' as an 'anuvrata' implies withdrawal from gross violence and behaviour, whereas as a 'mahāvrata' it implies withdrawal from all evil of the nature of violence at any level-mental, vocal or physical-whether done personally or caused to be done by another or approved
'Himsa' has been defined as destruction of life through 'Pramāda' The emergence of 'Pramada', of 'raga', 'dvesa' etc, itself has also been called 'Himsa' Such psychic states are truly suicidal and with this violence to one's own nature we have the starting point of all violence to others In fact, one may as a deliberately cultivated mode of austerity, even give up one's own life That would not be 'Himsa' or violence, whereas even the efforts at saving one's life through unbridled passions or taking the lives of others, whether plants or animals, would amount to Himsā The inner root of 'Himsa' is forgetfulness of one's spiritual nature and from this arise desires, fears and hatred, and they lead men to outward action, inflicting injury on other beings
For strengthening the vow of Ahimsă, five bhāvanās have been prescribed-Vaggupti, Manogupti, Iryasamiti, Ādānanıksepanasamiti, Alokitapānabhojana-that is to say, care in speech, thought, movement, food and drink Again, one must reflect on the evil consequences of Himsă, and the pain it produces Violence leads to loss of peace and enmity here and worse evils in after-life The painful consequences of violence for others
