The concept of Ahimsa as propagated in Indian culture for
thousands of years and more recently by Mahatma Gandhi is Ahimsa of the
brave, not of the meek. The stronger or more powerful an individual or a
nation, the greater is the obligation to show compassion to other living
beings. However it is not enough just to be compassionate, one has to be
proactive in his or her compassion and this means that one has to act to
stop Himsa or violence towards any living being which is at our mercy. In
Jainism this proactive Ahimsa is called,' Abhay Daan' which means giving
someone protection -- protection from the fear of death. This therefore is
the Ahimsa of the brave but it is not complete either. Even when you are
bitten by a mosquito you do not harm it as it is in its nature to bite.
Lord Mahaveera the 24th. Teacher in Jain religion was bitten by a cobra
and he asked the cobra to subdue its anger and to remember its last birth
in which he was a human being. This then brings us to the most fundamental
beliefs in Hinduism and all other Indian religions -- that of
reincarnation and karma. The cycles of birth and death have been going on
forever and we have all been born in different bodies. Every living being
has a soul and feels pain and does not want to be hurt. This human form of
birth, that we have got, is precious for there are, according to
scriptures 8,400 species of life and if this human form life is wasted in
inflicting pain to others then next time round we will be at the receiving
end. Those who are hunting today will be hunted tomorrow in another form
of life.
Here then lies the greatest paradox of Ahimsa or non
violence -- it is for our own happiness and security -- we will not be
doing anybody any special favours by practising Ahimsa, it will be for our
own well being. For every action that we take there will be a reaction to
it -- this is the law of karma. For every pain inflicted on others one
will have to pay for it sooner or later. We have also brought karmas of
our past birth to this birth and that is why some of us are inconsolable
when we see wanton violence and for others it is inconsequential. When
Ahimsa is practised earnestly by an individual he or she acquires a
certain hallow or divine persona which is difficult to describe but is
there all the same. Just as Ahimsa is important for an individual it is
also important for civilisations. It is said that of the world's recorded
civilisations virtually all have died not from enemy action but from
spiritual decay. Throughout history civilisations have come into being and
thrived for a certain time and then disappeared without trace. The Aryan
or Indian civilisation is the oldest of all living civilisations and it
has remained immortal. Could it be because it practised Ahimsa towards the
weak? And if that is the case then what chance has our present
civilisation which has unleashed the most horrific violence on the animal
kingdom? Call it nature or call it god, those who protect others are
protected by a higher power.
The biggest reason, if not the only reason for our
violence towards animals, is our need and our desire to eat. An average
person will eat around 30 tons of food in a lifetime. The saints and sages
of India have always emphasised the importance of establishing control
over what we should eat. The hagvad Gita describes three kinds of food.
Food in the mode of ignorance, food in the mode of passion and food in the
mood of goodness. Eating is a necessity, indeed it can be a great pleasure
too but not at the expense of other living beings. Jains even refrain from
eating root vegetables to avoid harm to insects and bacteria. Both Lord
Buddha and Lord Mahaveera fasted for long periods but it is not possible
for us mere mortals and that is why the criteria set for us are to live
with minimum violence. Even the eating of fruits and vegetables involves
violence but this is minimum violence. A fairly recent addition to what is
considered violent is milk and hence more and more vegetarians are
becoming vegan.
Looking at the way the world is moving forward today and
the amount violence that mankind has unleashed on animals -- human kind is
heading towards self-destruction. The only hope is, and we all live on
hope, that those of us fighting the cause of animals continue doing so.
Against all odds we are fighting for a goal and that goal is to grant
animals fundamental rights.
Nitin Mehta
Copyright 15th. Oct. 2002
[Nitin Mehta is the organiser of the Young Indian
Vegetarians in the UK and can be contacted on
animalahimsa@yahoo.co.uk]
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