Light of Nonviolence

Author(s): Sushilmuni
Publisher: Vishwa Ahimsa Sangh Delhi

Page 81

WILD BOARS
The wild boar is an especially fierce and pugnacious creature that inhabits certain forest regions of India. Any chance meeting with the wild boar is considered dangerous and to be avoided since boars will often attack for no apparent reason and may inflict serious injury from their sharp teeth and claws. Also, the boar's mouth, lips, and jaw are very powerful and can easily break human bones. In this story, Guruji describes an encounter that he had with a pair of wild boars and the lessons that he drew from the experience.
W hen I was about eleven years old--four years
VV before I became a monk--I was travelling alone in the Jammu-Kashmir district near the northern Indian border which is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I remember standing on a hilltop over the lovely Tavi River which winds its clear waters through thick forests of tall trees and rolling green hills. Across the valley which I stood before, a large, fast-flowing, cascading stream could be seen on the hillside, letting into the valley until it found its way to the Tavi River. Being a young, curious boy who had little understanding or fear of the dangers of the forest, I started down the hillside and into the dense forest, having complete trust in my ability to cope with any danger
- 74