Training in Nonviolence

Author(s): Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Anuvrat Global Organization

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Non-absolutist Lifestyle - An Antidote to Violence
robbers and dacoits or their own employees. Even those who are at the helm of administration or political power are frightened. There is a fear in their hearts as to what will happen in the next elections. Everyone seems to be in the grip of fears and apprehensions. If the people elect them again, it will be no less than a miracle. Even saints and sadhus are frightened. They are frightened because many of them are now millionaires or even billionaires. They live a life of luxury and have an abundance of wealth. They are worried about their safety and security. I find that fear pervades all the three spheres of life today i.e. social, political and religious. In my view the greatest service to humanity is to create an environment of fearlessness in society. It is very necessary, but the question that arises is when it can become possible. With the development of high moral character and a change in our moneydominated outlook fear goes on subsiding. With the decadence in ethical values and predominance of money-oriented outlook fear goes on increasing. (i) The Result of Service to Humanity
We talk of cultural and humanitarian values. We also talk of moral and spiritual values but we haven't yet moved towards that direction. Our attention is focussed on how the other should be. No one thinks how he should be. The greatest problem today is our propensity to discover weaknesses in others.
It will not be in fitness of things if I talk at length of what we have done in the course of the last six years of Ahimsa Yatra but with the help of introspection and self-testimony I can say that we have tried our best during this period to carry out Gurudeva's first directive to serve humanity. Here, I would like to make a mention of one incident. When Gujarat was burning with communal riots in the wake of Godhara catastrophe, we were working among the affected people. The Hindu leaders said, "We cannot share the dais with Muslims." The Muslim leaders said, "We cannot sit with the Hindus but we can sit together in your presence." What is surprising is that the leaders of the two communities who were fiercely opposed to one another could sit together in my presence and it happened not once but many times. I believe that it was the result of our service to humanity. It is an uphill task to create confidence. The greatest asset of a society or that of a political authority is its ability to create confidence in the hearts of the people. The greatest asset of religious leaders is their ability to strengthen the faith of religious people and create confidence in them. (ii) It is Difficult to Preserve Faith
Once TAO Confucius was asked what he thought was necessary for running a country or a society. He replied, "Three things are needed to run a state i.e. weapons, food and faith. Weapons are necessary for our security, food is necessary to satisfy the hunger of the people and faith is necessary to keep them peaceful." Question - Of these three things if one of them is to be abandoned, what
should we abandon? Confucius - If one thing is to be abandoned, abandon arms first.
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