Acharya Mahaprajna
The following course is based on the conceptual understanding of Acharya Shri Mahaprajna’s feature article entitled
The Foundation Of Training In Non-violence.
It was designed by a team of experts under the direct guidance of Acharya Shri.
(A) The Training And Orientation In The Conceptual Understanding Of Ahimsa
Non-violence trainers will expound the factors that help the flowering of ahimsa (Non-violence) and the consequential result.
- Change of Heart: The Training of the Mind
Human emotions like greed, fear, enmity, antagonism, vanity, cruelty, intolerance, absolutism in thought and action, desire for excessive consumption, abuse of environment, aggression between peoples, absence of a feeling of holism of the universe and the planet are responsible for violence and war. In order to bring about a change of heart, the individual must first gain an insightful understanding of the factors that lead to the rise of these tendencies in him and the means with which they can be curbed, controlled, refined and sublimated. The human mind needs to be thoroughly researched as the seeds of both ahimsa (Non-violence) and himsa (violence) take their roots in it. The training of the mind precedes all other things in a course meant for the training of people in ahimsa.
- Inculcation of Cosmic Values: A Holistic Perspective
This course is proposed to be geared to the needs of a non-violent socio-political world order. The members of the global community ought to be trained and oriented in such a way that human and cosmic values like detachment towards the body and the matter, fearlessness, friendship, forgiveness, humility, compassion, communal harmony, tolerance of divergent views, relative thinking, relative behaviour positive attitudes, selflessness. a sense of universal responsibility towards the world as an integral whole, abstinence from harming nature, respect for inherent human rights, consumption of resources in keeping with the satisfaction of the basic needs of all on which depend peace and sustainable development may blossom in them naturally. The above values can not be imposed on an individual from outside. They exist in all human beings but are often dormant. They must be awakened.
- The State of Good Health: A Prerequisite for the Growth of Non-violence
The following symptoms indicate lack of good health and it has been noticed that they give rise to violence. They include low percentage of glucose in the blood, the malfunctioning of spleen and liver, hyperacidity, imbalanced diet etc. the removal of these factors will result in the growth of ahimsa.
- Healthy Economy: A Must for the Ushering in of a Non-violent Society
The inculcation of such values as renunciation, non-acquisitiveness, decentralized economy, honesty in earning a living, desire for sharing in resources and consumption according to one's need will promote healthy economy and pave the way for the creation of a non-violent society.
- Transformation of Human Relationships
One should refrain from behaving cruelty with the other. The relationships between the employers and the employees and the members of family should be cordial and harmonious. Training in co-existence, mutual adjustment and positive outlook will be imparted.
- Components of the Training in Ahimsa
Faith in the purity of means and all the aspects of Preksha Dhyan (perceptive meditation) like Pranayam (Breathing exercises), Kayotsarg (Relaxation with self-awareness), perception of breathing, Leshya Dhyan (colour meditation), perception of psychic centers. Anupreksha (therapeutic thinking), a unique technique to develop the innate traits of human nature like fearlessness, tolerance, self-reliance, friendship, detachment, humility, compassion and communal harmony are some of the components of the training in ahimsa.
(B) Practical Training based On Innovative Experiments
It will include practice, exercises and experiments in control of human emotions, promotion of the dignity of labour, fearlessness, tolerance, self-restraint, tapasya (austerity) and detachment.
Acharyashree's padyatra was a vivid account his wide contact with the people, interesting talks with individuals, theoretical discussions, spiritual experiments and solutions of individual problems. What has been reproduced here is a mere glimpse of the pageant of Acharyashree's varied life. We have no knowledge of one such individual in the past as might have undertaken so extensive and endless a padyatra (barefoot journey). We do not think we shall have one in future.
Acharya Tulsi's first meeting with Vinoba Bhave took place at Rajghat (a sacred place where Gandhiji cremation took place). Vinobaji said, "The shraman, (Jain ascetics) tradition of padyatra dates from the ancient days. I have also adopted your way of living in my life." Acharyashree said, "It augurs well. At least we two have become padyatris. The people of India live in villages. Padyatra is a powerful medium for being in touch with them”.
Vinobaji: “How many miles do you walk day?”
Acharyashree: “Ten to twelve miles”.
Vinobaji: “Approximately I also cover the same distance in a day”.
Anuvrat and bhoodan yatra (Vinobaji's travelling: on foot with the specific purpose of asking the people to gift away their excess land) once again revealed the significance of padyatra to the people of India.
Trespassing Lord Mahavir's Directions
A garden is a natural means of giving health and entertainment to man. He is simply delighted to see the garden in blossom. But if for his own pleasure he pulls a twig or plucks a flower. It causes unspeakable pain to the plant. Plants are so sensitive that they start shivering the moment someone enters the garden unannounced, with a view to trimming and cutting them. They read the mind and come to know the intention of the newcomer. One cannot be said to be doing justice to vegetation if one exploits it beyond one's needs, unmindful of the pain caused to it in the process.
Lord Mahavir said: “He trespasses my directions who is careless about vegetation and who abuses it”. By keeping the above dictum in mind men can practise caution towards conscious beings and exercise control on themselves in making use of them. It is essential to avoid senseless violence. People often quote the saying: “One conscious being survives by consuming another” but there is another more important saying: “Conscious being help one another”. If each conscious beings is full of sympathy and helpfulness towards another, no conscious being can damage the interests of another. Even if one cannot help the inevitable violence associated with birth, one should at least strongly resolve to avoid senseless violence. Those devoid of the above resolution practise unimaginable cruelty against other conscious beings.
