Positive Non Violence

Author(s): Kanhaiyalal Lodha, Dalpatsingh Baya
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

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in a strange town lying hurt or wounded on the road, we get moved by a feeling of kindness and compassion towards him. Where is the question of attachment here? One who goes to distant villages and organises medical camps there, has no attachment what so ever for those who come and get treated in those camps. He does not even know as to who would be coming for treatment there. Under such circumstances how is it possible for the organiser to have any attachment for the suffering multitudes that come to and benefit from those camps? Therefore, it is an erroneous belief that there is always a feeling of attachment behind activities like protection, service, benevolence, etc., that constitute positive non-violence. When there is no feeling of attachment there, there cannot be any possibility of karmic bondage. Similarly, there is no feeling of aversion, towards the bacteria that fester a wound, in the mind of a surgeon who cuts away the putrefied wound and thus deprives the bacteria present therein of their means of sustenance. His activity is conducted with only a sense of duty. He is guided by the thought of saving the wounded creature's life and not by any feeling of attachment towards the wounded or that of aversion towards the bacteria. When we give water to the thirsty, we neither have a feeling of attachment towards him nor that of aversion towards the water-bodied creatures. Thus, the activities of service, benevolence, etc., are not motivated by attachment or aversion and, therefore, are not binding.
Actually, positive non-violence, that is, acts of life-saving, service, benevolence do not depend on attachment but on a feeling of oneness towards all the living. This feeling of oneness towards all living beings does not materialise unless we can feel the pain and misery of others just as we feel our own pain and misery. Although Jaina philosophy accepts an independent existence of all individual creatures, it also believes in the benevolent thought that they are all like one's own self. The Ācārānga (1.5.5) clearly says, “One whom you wish to torment is none else but you yourself.” Here, the feeling of oneness with all the living beings stands on the plane of discretion and sensitivity. It is not merely a debating point. Unless we develop this feeling of oneness
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Positive Non-Violence