Non Violence

Author(s): Dada Bhagwan
Publisher: Dada Bhagwan Foundation

Page 21

26
Ahimsa
this if he did not question it. But because of his merit karma, he is now questioning this. This is tremendous merit karma unfolding. If one does not question such things, the violence would continue causing him much harm (internal dullness) because of the Ahimsa against the living beings within him, whereas the external Ahimsa is inconsequential. Continued himsa results in a decline of spiritual awareness. He becomes blunt and insensitive. The external violence is insignificant because in reality it does not reduce the number of insects killed. It is the subtle life forms within oneself that are killed and as a result brings about insensitivity in a person.
Questioner: Whenever I meet my old friends, I tell them that they ought to leave their occupations and I give them examples of many successful people whose lives have been ruined as a result of their occupation, but they do not heed my advice. Many have left their profession after a lot of suffering.
Dadashri : It is only as a result of tremendous sin that one comes to do business involving so much violence. It would be best if you were to become free of such trades. There are so many other ways to make a living. A man once told me that of all his businesses, his grocery business was the most lucrative. When I asked him what he did if his grain became infested with bugs, he told me that he would do everything possible to get rid of the insects, but he could not eliminate them completely. I assured him that there was nothing wrong in what he was doing, but in selling the grains, he was also charging for the weight of the insects that remained in the grain and so he was selling lives for profit.
Jewelry Business Is The Best
Dadashri : People with a lot of merit karma from past
Ahimsa
life acquire professions with the least amount of violence. The business of selling diamonds and precious gems would be one such profession. There is no scope of selling adulterated goods. But nowadays even in this profession people have learned to do business dishonestly. Nothing prevents one from doing this business honestly if he wants to. In this profession no living beings are killed, but other kinds of violence can occur. Second to that would be the gold and silver business. The butcher's business involves the highest amount of violence. Next comes the potter, who does a lot of himsa when he fires his wares. It is all violence.
27
Questioner: Regardless of the kind of violence one does, whether it is charge violence (violent intent) or discharge violence (violence in action), is one not still held accountable for it?
Dadashri : Can you not see people suffering? They are constantly suffering the results of violence. There is nothing but suffering...
People in occupations that involve violence do not have any radiance on their faces and they appear unhappy. The farm hand is never happy because of the effects of his past life violence. His landlord appears happy as he does not have to toil and is enjoying the fruits of his merit karma. This has been the law of life, the law of karma all along. The process behind which one acquires the kind of work he does is a natural one. One could not run away from such an occupation even if he wanted to. If all parents of our nation thought, 'We do not want to send our son in the armed forces because he might get killed', then we would not have a defense force. Yet all nations have a defense force. This is the natural law. Nature is at work here and nature brings forth the results, so do not be concerned unnecessarily.