Positive Non Violence

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

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always choose the alternative that involves lesser violence and here the question must be decided on the basis of sensory development of the creatures being subjected to such violence.
If on one side we believe that we are entitled to and we may commit violence towards one-sensed beings in order to save our own lives, and on the other side we say that such violence may not be committed in activities that involve saving of others' lives or serving them and that activities like protection, charity, kindness, compassion, are fit to be abandoned as it involves violence towards one sensed beings, it will amount to deceiving ourselves. Leave aside the householders' lives, even in monastic life, one may not be able to be fully non-violent towards one-sensed beings. Therefore, to abandon such activities (of mercy, kindness, compassion, service, co-operation, friendship, affection, etc.,) that constitute positive non-violence on the pretext of violence to one-sensed creatures is neither correct nor ethical. Positive Non-violence and Social Life -
Positive non-violence is essential because it is the very basis of our social life. “Man is a social animal.' It is difficult to imagine his existence away from social life. At the same time, we cannot imagine a social life devoid of non-violent consciousness or sensitivity. The society stands on the pillars of affection, love, co-operation, and giving up self-interest for the sake of others' interest. Ācārya Umāsvāti has said that to help each other is the rule of the living universe ('Parasparopagraho jīvānāṁ', Tattvārthasūtra, 5.21). The western thinkers have this false concept that the living universe is based on struggle for survival. The rule for living together is not struggle and survival of the fittest but co-operation and coexistence in which every one can exist. The life itself comes into being only when two elements (male and female) come together and it is by mutual co-operation that it flourishes. It is co-operation and the spirit of giving up self-interest for the sake of others upon which social life exists. In other words, we can say that the society stands on the basis of positive non-violence. The negative non-violence may become the basis of individual
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Positive Non-Violence