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AHIMSA –NON-INJURY/NON- VIOLENCE
The Indian attitude of reverence towards nature ensues from the basic tenet of ‘Ahimsa’ or non-violence. All Indian philosophical systems (except Carvaka) have the underpinning that ‘Nature reverberates the Divine presence’ because the supreme soul desired, ‘let me become many, let me be born’ (Tat Up. Brahmanda Valli, 6th anuvaka1.6.7). As the cause of all that is, He is indwelling and not transient, “…this whole universe trembles within the life (the Supreme Brahman), emanating (from it) it (the universe) moves on…” (Katha Up 6.2.). It is further stated in the Taittirya Upanisad Brahmanda Valli, 6th anuvaka1.6.7, that the Supreme soul having created it even entered it. He is therefore in all that has form or devoid of form; as extension it is in ether, as taste in the water, in the earth as food, in fire as light. Consequently the interaction with Nature took an emotional rather than a practical approach. We will argue in this chapter that Divinity was attributed to Nature because Indian philosophers had realised far ahead of modern scientists, the intrinsic worth of Nature as well as their connectedness to it. /It.
"As I am, so are others; as others are, so am I." ” (Yathâ aham tathâ ete
Yathâ ete tathâ aham
Attânam upamam katvâ
Na haneyya na ghâtaye. Sutta Nipata 705). Having thus identified self and others, harm no one nor have them harmed.‘
Ahimsa follows from this basic tenet of Indian philosophy. . In common usage ‘Ahimsa’ is ‘non-violence’, but literally it is the avoidance of violence – himsa. It is a mental attitude, which can be differently functional towards addressing environmental problems. Our focus in this section will be to examine the different ways of communicating ‘ahimsa’.
Ahimsa is articulate in every aspect of Indian culture. The Rig Veda does not directly refer to ‘ahimsa’ but the appeal the Vedic seers have made to Rudra for the protection of their herds in the same manner as for their progeny is a clear indication that concern for ‘other living beings was an aspect of Vedic religion In Book 1. 164 they pray for the safety of all things great and small, of the steeds and cows, for their crops and their progeny. ‘Non-injury’ has been differently addressed in the Atharva Veda, which contrary to the present circumstances, entreats that what has been dug out from the earth, by way of food and agriculture, ‘let that quickly grow over; let me not hit they heart, …’ Yajna or sacrifice was very popular during the Vedic period which naturally raises a question about Vedic ‘ahimsa’. Sacrifice However can be interpreted from a scientific and ecological perspective as a symbolic representation of the Balance of nature or ‘Rta’. Prof., Laurie L. Patton reasoned that animal sacrifice in ancient India justifies the claim that, as inherent processes in nature, decay and violence are necessary for nourishment, and that creativity requires a movement between life and death. (Nature Romanticism and Sacrifice in Rig Vedic Interpretation, pg 39. Hinduism and Ecology. The Intersection of Earth, Sky and Water, Ed Christopher Key Chapple&MaryEvelyn Tucker. O.U.P.2001). This can also be termed ‘Ecotheology’ that focuses on the interrelationships of religion and nature, particularly in the light of environmental concerns. Besides, cosmological functions are sacrificial if we remember the ‘Purusha-Sukta’which suggests a natural kenosis, in order that the whole world might come into being.
The vow of Ahimsa as the avoidances of injuring life by any act of thoughtlessness in any movable or immovable thing is the primary code of conduct for the Jains. This follows from the Jain metaphysics that all life monads are fundamentally fellow creatures as they are permeated by the same life force, that enters into them so to say, to the tip of their nails, ‘as a razor may be put in a case’ (ref Br Up.1.6.7. Trans Swami Madhavananda, Advaita Vedanta Ashram Kolkata).
“He who is disinclined from killing the smallest living beings knows what suffering is because he who knows his own happiness and pains, knows others' too, and he who knows others' feelings knows his own feelings. This is the way one must compare himself with others. He who has obtained this knowledge would not wish to live at the expense of other living beings." (Agama text Acharang Sutra, stanza 1.6.55). Not only animals and plants but also indwelling molecules of matter are alive, the basic laws of life being constant throughout, the Jains practice ‘Ahimsa’ even upon the smallest, mutest, least conscious being. Although worship of stones, rivers, mountains and groves was prevalent in ancient times and finds importance in Indian religions, conferring feeling to them is unique to Jainism. The two principal tattvas or categories in Jain metaphysics are ‘jiva’ and ‘ajiva’. Jiva is pure intelligence and ajiva pure non-intelligence. There is a further subdivision of the jiva into mundane and released. The mundane that possess internal sense are ‘samanaska’, while those without it are ‘amanaska’. The Jains have classified the ‘amanaska’ into the ‘locomotive’ or ‘trasa’ and the ‘immobile’ or ‘sthavara’. Interestingly the Jains assign at least two senses (touch and taste) to ‘trasa’, which include such life forms as shellfish, worms, to those having four and five senses. The sthavara or immobile are those life monads existing on the elemental level and have only the sense of touch. They feel and respond to touch and are therefore known as ‘ekendriya’.
One who neglects or disregards the existence of earth, air, fire, water and vegetation disregards his existence, which is entwined with them. Hence the Jain scriptural aphorism ‘Parosparopagraho Jivanam’ The Jain call to honour every life form and natural resources is an excellent example of environmental consciousness in Indian philosophy. This idea is in agreement with the Vedantic view of Brahma as the power, which creates, and supports the worlds, the eternal principle of all beings, who lives whole and undivided in each one of us. (The system of the Vedanta. Paul Deussen. Trans by Charles Johnston. Karen publications. Delhi. 1987).
So Mahavira ‘s first teaching was ‘reverence’. If one has reverence for the ‘Indweller’ he will have reverence towards everything. The Jain concern for environment is remarkable! The Rig Vedic philosophy that the natural world in all its forms issues following the sacrifice of the ‘Virat Purusha’, (R.V. bk 10. 90.) is continued here as the Jains believe that each and every object both living and non-living contains soul. Intentional or unintentional violence against any life form violates the cosmic harmony generating negative vibrations. Their philosophy of ahimsa can be summarised as:-
1. Live and let live. Love all; Serve all
2. Where there is love there is life. Violence is suicide.
3. All living beings love to live. No one wants to die.
4. All souls are alike and potentially divine. None is superior or inferior
5. Just as I dislike pain, so all other beings dislike pain.
6. Have compassion towards all living beings. Hatred leads to destruction.
7. Self control is non-violence; so is silence
8. Not only refraining from physical violence, ‘ahimsa’ includes non-injury by word and thought.
Religion has a wide connotation in Indian tradition; it is more a way of life than a way of thinking. It is not withdrawal from life but life itself. ‘Ahimsa’ is a path that is capable of resisting ‘disharmony’ and ensuring that man lives his religion. This has been reflected in the following lines:-
The king of hills may waver
And cold the fire may grow,
The rock may swim in the water,
And the moon send forth rays of heat
The sun may rise in the West
But in the killing of beings
Religion can never consist. (Harischandra Kaviratna From Sunrise magazine, March 1973. Copyright © 1973 by Theosophical University Press).
In Buddhist traditions, ‘ahimsa’ has been analysed from a different standpoint; the emphasis is on ‘Karma’ (to be understood as effect of action). The doctrine ‘Pratitya samudpada’ or dependent origination conveys a significant message, which Thich Nhat Hanh, of the Vietnamese Zen tradition has interpreted as the ‘Interbeing’. The basic idea is of mutual interdependence. According to Buddhist cosmology all things in the universe come into being, ‘arise’, as a result of certain specific conditions. The Buddhists do not posit ‘God’ as Creator neither is there any first cause. Assemblage of certain conditions gives rise to certain effects.
‘ When this is, that is.
From the arising of this comes the arising of that.
When this isn't, that isn't.
From the cessation of this comes the cessation of that’ (SN 12.61 Assutava Sutta
Translated from the Pali byThanissaro Bhikkhu Copyright © 2005 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.)
From the perspective of ‘Pratitya samutpada’, it implies that our existence becomes intimately related to causes removed from ourselves, yet, inextricably linking us with everything around us and at the same time denying us any autonomous existence. Hence Buddhism emphasises that all aspects of nature are inseparably connected. Harming the environment (the nexus of living beings of which one forms but a part) is thus in a non-trivial sense harming of oneself. “Far away in the heavenly abode of the great god Indra, there is a wonderful net which has been hung by some cunning artificer in such a manner that it stretches out indefinitely in all directions. In accordance with the extravagant tastes of deities, the artificer has hung a single glittering jewel at the net's every node, and since the net itself is infinite in dimension, the jewels are infinite in number. There hang the jewels, glittering like stars of the first magnitude, a wonderful sight to behold. If we now arbitrarily select one of these jewels for inspection and look closely at it, we will discover that in its polished surface there are reflected all the other jewels in the net, infinite in number. Not only that, but each of the jewels reflected in this one jewel is also reflecting all the other jewels, so that the process of reflection is infinite”. (The avatamsaka sutra. Francis H. Cook: Hua-yen Buddhism: The Jewel Net of Indra. 1977). This philosophical position provides an important clue for solving the crisis with which we are presently threatened. The alienation which modern civilization has brought along with it is to a great extent responsible for this detachment with our environment. The ‘cause of suffering’ as the Buddha explained in the second noble truth, lies in our fragmented view of the world. We continue to exist as separate selves, in separate worlds, with separate goals, the truth however is the phenomena of relatedness as Thoreau observed, when we try to pick out anything by itself; we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.
Ahimsa has been looked upon as the greatest virtue in the Indian epic ‘Mahabharata’. In the Anusasana Parva, Yudhishthira questioned Bhishma about the merits and demerits of eating flesh to which the latter replied, a man who wished to increase his own flesh by the flesh of another living being is such that there is no one meaner and crueler than him. In this world there is nothing that is dearer to a creature than his life. Hence instead of taking that valuable possession one should show compassion to the lives of others, as one does to ones own life. So the ‘Mahabharata’ declares ‘Ahimsa paromo dharmo’
Ahimsa is cultivation of forgiveness, universal love and friendliness as exemplified in Bengal Vaisnavism. The supreme end is not happiness in the ordinary sense of the term but devotional joy (prem- bhakti). The word ‘bhakti has been derived from the root ‘bhaj’ meaning complete servitude or ‘seva’ of the lord. It demands entire submission to Him in body, mind and work. This philosophical school explains that the ‘jivas’ (individuals) are parts of the Lord’s power so it is only natural that they should serve Him. This is because the part is in, for, and by the whole, and it is its intrinsic nature to serve the whole even as the roots and branches serve the tree. What is of importance is this relatedness with God. A true Vaisnava sees God in all beings and reasons that all beings including himself as parts of God. ‘sarva-bhutese yah pasyed bhagavad-bhavam atmanah
Bhutani bhagavaty atmany esa bhagavattottamah’ (Caitanya Charitamrita3.20.25).
From this follows the as in Buddhism and Jainism, God is the same in all beings, it is a sin to despise any one. A true Vaisnava believes that all beings continue to exist by the love of God who dwells in all bodies. He thus pays respect to all creatures, as each of them is an abode of Krishna the Lord. “Uttama hana vaisnava have nirabhimana
Jive sammana dive jani Krishna adhisthana (C.C.3.20.25).
Vaisnavism inculcates mental and verbal non-violence towards self and towards others, is compassionate, free from spite, having truth as the essence of his very being, equable, generous, doing good to all, honouring all; a true Vaisnava should be more humble than a blade of grass, tolerant like a tree, desiring no honour for oneself, but rendering honour to all those who deserve it. “…trinad api sunicena, taror api sahishnuna amanina manadena, kirtaniya sada hari: (Caitanya Cariamrita Adi 17.31).
Ahimsa is, not causing pain and suffering to others including plants and animals. This is inherent in Indian customs like the ‘Vat-Savitri Vrata’which is in fact a form of tree-worship. Legends associate it with ‘Savitri’ a princess was married to Satyavan who was destined to die within a year of their marriage. When the fateful incident happened and ‘Yama’ the ‘Lord of Death’, appeared to make his claim, Savitri pleaded with Him and begged Him to return Satyavan’s life. Yama refused, but Savitri was persistent in her claim. However, her unfailing devotion and love for her husband compelled Yama to return Satyavan’s life. It is believed that Satyavan was laid under a banyan tree while Savitri continued pleading to the God of Death. The Banyan tree has thus become a symbol of women’s power that can stand firm as the tree to shield and preserve her family. Thus on the full moon day of Jyestha (may-June), married women keep a fast and offer prayer to the tree. Because they do not stop growing, trees symbolise reproduction, especially the flowering and the fruit-bearing species. Indian fig tree, (Vat) whose branches root themselves like new trees over a large area give rise to more trunks and branches. Because of this characteristic and its longevity, this tree is considered immortal
Vat-Savitri Vrata
. The cult of tree –worship may have always existed and seals discovered in Mohenjodaro depict the worship of Aswattha or peepal (The Indus Civilization A contemporary Perspective. Gregory L. Possehl. Vistaar Publications New Delhi 2002. pg 59, fig 3.1). In the 10th chapter of the Gita Lord Krishna said, “Among all the trees I am Ashwattha…” With its root above, its branches below the Ashwattha is said to be imperishable…(B.G.15.1,2) The Lotus, literally meaning is “born from the mud,” (Sanskrit panka-Panka” means mud and ja means “born) the Lotus symbolizes ‘non-attachment’. It has its roots in the mud from which it grows, yet it is ever unsullied as it floats on the water, and any drop of water that touches it immediately slides off. The lotus is ever pure and aloof from the world. It is in the world, but not of the world. It is the seat of Gods and Goddesses, like Lakshmi, (the Goddess of Wealth)
In recent times, Mahatma Gandhi has been the pioneer in campaigning the cause of ahimsa. In fact he challenged violence with ahimsa as his weapon. He defined ‘ahimsa’ from two different aspects: - in its negative sense it simply meant avoidance of acts harming others, while in its positive sense, it denoted promoting their well –being based on infinite love. Prof Bidyut Chakravorty explains, that Gandhji gave a comprehensive definition of ‘ahimsa’ drawing from Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions, as compassion that is equated with love. (Social and political thought of Mahatma Gandhi. Bidyut Chakraborty. Routledge Studies in Social &Political Thought. Oxon 2006 pg 73).For him ahimsa meant ‘both passive and active love, refraining from causing harm and destruct ion to living beings as well as positively promoting their well- being’. (Harijan, 7th July 1946) Further, it connotes the largest love, the greatest charity, even towards my enemy. (Social and political thought of Mahatma Gandhi. Bidyut Chakraborty. Routledge Studies in Social &Political Thought. Oxon 2006). He however remarked that like charity it should begin at home. If one does not observe ahimsa in ones personal relations with others, he cannot use it in bigger affairs. For Gandhji, ahimsa was a social virtue to be used for the uplift of the society. He believed that a virtue ceases to have use if it serves no purpose in every walk of life. Ahimsa is not a cloistered virtue to be practised by the individual for his peace of mind and final salvation, but as a rule of conduct for society if its members are to live consistently with human dignity. Gandhiji’s ‘non-violence’ became his weapon, the active force against all oppressions. Non-violent resistance does not rely on strong muscles, devastating armaments and fiendish poison gases, but on moral courage, self control, on the gripping awareness that there is in every human being, however brutal, however personally hostile, a burning light of kindness, a respect for goodness and truth which can be roused by anybody who uses the right method. Questions may be raised whether non-violence is an escapist attitude, a passive state of existence, to which the Mahatma remarked that non-violence is not doing nothing, nor is it an excuse for cowardice or weakness. It is the expression of strength, of refusing to co-operate with evil. Gandhi’s non-anthropocentric position respects not only human beings but also all creatures.
The most salient features of this discussion can be traced back to Vedic cosmology where creator is inherent in creation. This leads to the position that everything is a continuation of the divine, hence sacred. Ahimsa evolves as a respect for the Creator and his creation. It is similar to respecting and preserving a work of art. This attitude of non- violence is translated as non-injury towards all by the Jains and Buddhists. In Vaishnava philosophy it suggests , tolerance, forbearance and universal love, while Mahatma Gandhi made it the most formidable weapon to resist himsa
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