Acharya Tulsi
Man’s life is full of conflicts. It has violence as well as non-violence. The conflict between violence and non-violence is eternal. Violence is indispensable in life and non-violence is also indispensable for a pious life. Violence is a means to sustain or run life and non-violence is means to reach the ideal of life. Understanding this difference between violence and non-violence if they are defined and established then no problem arises. The problem is that man’s belief in violence is so intense which is not so much in non-violence. He values the power of violence so much but he doesn’t consider the power of non- violence effective enough. To get success man resorts to violence in life and he feels as if the work has consolidated his inner-feelings towards it.
The violence that is caused to meet the needs of life doesn’t really create any big problem. The complication arises from Sankalpik (free will) violence. The direct connection of it is with accumulation, attachment with materials and so on. This kind of violence is not subject to any particular situation, it is becoming a norm of life. If violence becomes a norm of life then it is dangerous. The whole world is getting near that point. So non-violence needs to be pondered over carefully. If non-violence doesn’t become equally strong as violence then implementation of it would become quite difficult.
Intrusion of Violence
Indian culture is non-violence oriented. Indian soil carries the fragrance of non-violence. Indian psychology is based on non-violence. Indian religious scriptures have sung the glory of non- violence. But even after that violence is intruding our border akin to other nations. This is matter worth contemplating. Wherever the power of violence is utilized in the world the whole world has to bear its ill consequences. If any nation becomes powerful in terms of violence then other nations also start competing. This way the power of violence becomes infinite.
The power of violence is infinite, the problem doesn’t end here. Today violence is being supported and advocated by greater powers. What great researches are conducted in the field of non-violence? So much application of it is being observed? So much training of it is going on. Such researches have enabled human beings to develop so much that the world has moved from Stone Age to the Atomic Age. Even after having developed so much it has not rested yet. New findings are still being sought. It is beyond estimate how many inventions would be made before the world enters into 21st century. Compared to violence much less work is being done in the field of non-violence. Whatever is done is merely confined to oral advice. In a situation like this it cannot be expected that the power of non- violence would defeat violence.
Need of Training
Seeing the perils of increasing violence the point of contemplation over it is how the power of non-violence could be raised? For that the first requirement is transformation of feelings, transformation of heart or training of the brain. As long as such methods are not developed we cannot imagine of raising the power of non-violence.
Amrit-Mahotsav is approaching near. On this auspicious occasion it is imperative to accelerate this subject matter. In this context the first responsibility goes to ‘Chaturbid Dharmasanghe’. All the four groups—the monks and the nuns, shravakas and shravikas (followers) must take the issue forward by conducting researches, application and training of it.
From the viewpoint of research the first subject chosen must be human brain where the waves of violence are present. The sources which trigger violence, the findings of those cells and the method of understanding and changing them can only control violent impulses.
In human brain there are centres of violence as well as non- violence. Those centres must be cleaned that leads a human being toward violence. Those centres must be developed and activated. That leads a human being towards friendship and non-violence. The authentic search of the violent centres and cleaning them would naturally increase the power of non-violence. The work of development is going on Prekshadhyan (a kind of meditation) and Jeevan Vigyan (a kind of meditation), their application and training program are being organized. These factors must be developed and worked upon.
Factors of Research
While conducting research on non-violence few points need to be emphasized upon that can connect the present with the past, value the work that has been done so far, and tum future possibilities into realities like
- Everyone’s attention is focused on arms but the state of mind that manufacture and preserve those arms must be sought and found, how it could be found?
- The association of non-violence is merely confined within human instincts or does it also have any association with the environment?
- Has non-violence been ever applied to bring any hostile situation or any violent situation under control?
- Has non-violence been kept confined within the action of not killing or hurting others or does it have deeper roots as well?
- It is said that before a non-violent person even a violent person forgets violence. Is it worth believing or is it just a myth?
- There are many substitutes of violence so it has many ways. How many ways can there be in following non-violence?
- If a long tradition of arms and violence can be followed why the tradition of disarmament and non-violence couldn’t be followed? Seeing someone using arms a feeling of revenge is aroused in oneself, seeing a non-violent man showering love and kinship does it trigger something in a person?
This way if such factors are put forward and researches are conducted over such factors then many new dimensions might open and we may find ways to enhance the power of non-violence.
Non-Violent Campaign
Along with conducting researches over non-violence the application and training of it must go on. To make it happen all the devotees and followers of non-violence; all the institutions and organizations which follow non-violence must be gathered and their co-operation must be sought. One of the sole problems for violence to enhance is that non-violent people do not get together and work in the direction of establishing non-violence. If violent organizations can work united and find new avenues and ways of spreading violence, then why in a similar fashion non-violent associations not be created and made to work, campaign and find solutions. This way all the accusations over it can be easily erased. People believing in the ideal of non-violence can move forward to fulfil this aim by becoming a fellow traveller to make this endeavour successful.
The sole principle of non-violence is the transformation of heart. This sutra was propounded and developed by Acharya Bhikshu. With the criteria of religion he set the criteria of heart transformation as one of the key features. How to implement this sutra and make use of it should be the prime concern now.
Fearlessness, mutual harmony and ability to bear pain or inconveniences are some significant traits of non-violence. Interdepend ability, equality and independence—these are the basis of non-violence. By helping these seeds to sprout and consolidate this basis only can establish non-violence. There are two challenges before us. We can face them by mutual love, friendship and positive thinking. This is my strong conviction that we shall be successful in our endeavour of making our program a successful one. The purpose of celebrating this Amrit Mahotsav would become clearer for the masses and the human beings will get an opportunity to heave a sigh of relief.
