Our tumultuous world is plagued with violence and oppression of many forms, giving rise to insecurity and terror. In India, there is rising communal hatred fuelled by issues of caste, ethnic and racial prejudices, race, religious fundamentalism, exacerbated by a lack of education and absence of spirituality. Ahimsa could well be the antidote for us for a better future. Thomas Merton rightly said, “All men should be willing to engage in the risk and wager of ahimsa, because violent policies have not only proved bankrupt but threaten man with extinction.”
Contrary to popular misconception, non-violence and peace are natural, ubiquitous, and normal throughout its evolution of the human species and its adaptation. For well over a million years, evolution has positively selected human nature naturally inclined toward nonviolence, peace, cooperation, reciprocity, empathy, and compassion in the context of nomadic forager societies that comprise 99% of human existence. Otherwise the species would not have survived and flourished.
In Indic tradition, ‘non-violence’ (Ahimsa) is a strong principal value. The concept of Ahimsa literally means causing no injury, as it confirms that all things are related. Ahimsa is an essential DNA of Indian culture supported by most religions. It is not enough to desist from violence. One must uproot violence entirely from mind and heart, even while embracing the power of love and universal brotherhood as an uncompromising principle. The non-violence is not about a social truth, rather it is spiritual, it is an individual achievement.
I believe that the conceptualisation of Ahimsa speaks to the notion, that ‘mine and thine’ are interconnected, and harming others is harming oneself. An ecological balance for all beings and which includes humans. Human beings are interdependent, and a good society should discourage all forms of exploitation, domination, injustice, and inequality. In addition, human beings are spiritual in nature, and the good society should help them develop their moral and spiritual powers.
The intention underlying Ahimsa is keeping your mind away from any act, which harms and does injustice, knowing that it can possibly hurt or create undue hardship to all living beings on this planet. Indian tradition would have us demonstrate ‘loving kindness’ (Maitri), to have compassion (Karuna), hold Joy (Mudita) and to have equanimity (Upeksha). Mahatma Gandhi opined, “Ahimsa is the attribute of the soul, and therefore, to be practiced by everybody in all affairs of life. If it cannot be practiced in all departments, it has no practical value”.
Unlike, the English word non-violence which has an absolute meaning, in Sanatana Dharma, it is the moral duty to practise violence to keep peace and order. Non-violence is the ultimate Dharma, so too is violence in service of Dharma.
Ahimsa is not about ‘turning the other cheek’ but a response to act in equal measure. It does not provoke violence, neither will it tolerate violence. It does not submit to violence, for this itself, will encourage further violence. It clarifies that non-violence is the ultimate Dharma.
It is an active response to Himsa in all forms. It calls for taking up of arms (just war) to defend the Dharma when needed. In the Bheeshma Parvan it is emphasised that it is the duty of the king to take up arms to protect his subject. So too was Arjun urged to fight the just war by Lord Krishna. To endure violence is injustice, and it is not proper to endure injustice.
Violence can only be eradicated from the world if non-violent people are powerful. If violent people are powerful and non-violent people are powerless, then the violent people will overrule the non-violent. That has been our experience of two thousand years. The practice of Ahimsa is not to support weakness but power with compassion, love, and creativity.
Ahimsa is not non-violence but more accurately a principle of absence of injury to self and others. Harm can be rendered through kayaka (physical actions), vācaka (words), and manasika (thoughts). It enunciates a holistic principle.
The thought is beautiful – it encompasses the spirit of ‘reverence to life’ and one who respects life (self and others) is bound to be non-violent. Unfortunately, non-violence has evolved and got misunderstood as submission, weakness, lack of courage. This invariably has led to instances of self-violence, a masochist like disorder, or has encouraged sadism by the other. In its extension, the rioting and looting that follows protest is one expression, and in converse the several acts of rigorous penance, and which includes hunger strikes (to harm one’s own body). If this is not understood, we will continue to have relationships, with one being sadistic, and the other a masochist. How else would one explain abusive relationships and heinous crimes against women? Worse still a non-violent mind which may be hiding psychological violence. It is the Dharma of everyone to meet the maniacal violence with determination and restrain to convince the vicious few that it does not pay to be violent.
Luke 6:31 and Matthew 7:12 report that Jesus said, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
If we adopt the principles of Ahimsa, which includes both non-harm and compassion, as a virtue needed to form character that is reflected in attitude, we could curb conflict and violence and, perhaps, end war, terrorism and oppression. It all begins with be the change you wish to see in the world.
Maharishi Patanjali explains that if you are established in non-violence, in your very presence, violence and hostilities or aggression will be dropped by others (Yoga Sutra 2.35).
(Steve Correa is an executive coach and HR consultant)