________________
Ahimsa Research Institute-its scope ond sphere of work
The background of this comprehensive, all-pervading, spiritual concept of Ahimsa is this, that in the entire sphere of life we find Himsa or Violence. Himsa is the law of life, the very nature of life. In a way it can be said that Himsa is the very basis of life. The principle, "live and let live," has been laid down following the recognition of this fact.
But Himsa or Violence It is not the purpose of life. is the development of Ahimsa. is the law of life; the fulfilment of life.
does not make for the fulfilment of life. The purpose, the fulfilment, the joy of life Himsa may be the fact of life. Ahimsa
A French writer pondering over the Inevitability of Himsa had written that "Living is Killing," that we cannot live without Himsa. An Indian writer wrote back to that French writer,-"Living is Killing is a fact of life, but while recognising this we have to rise above it. We feel that killing the least is living the best and that the purpose and the fulfilment of life is summed up in this principle."
The course of modern scientific research runs contrary to this principle. It consists of vivisecting, cutting into bits, grinding and burning things in acids in the laboratory with a view to discovering the nature of matter. The modern sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Botany and Biology have all followed this course of research for their development.
The course of modern résearch follows the same lines as that of the police which applies the third degree methods of torture to suspects in a case with a view to obtaining the secret of a conspiracy. The Ahimsak line of research will perhaps succeed in replacing these methods of scientific research by Inventing yogic methods of research to obtain the required information on the nature and development of matter.
To reconcile ourselves to the basic conflicts-between different classes and sets of individuals as being inherent in the very nature of human beings and to discover natural laws of these conficts is one way. The way of Ahimsa is different. It aims at eliminating all conflicts between man and man and replacing them by a spirit of natural kinship and brotherhood between man and man through love,
co-operation and service..
To recognise the divisions of mankind Into rich and poor, masters and servants, the rulers and the ruled, the civilised and the uncivilised
174
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
