Acharya Mahaprajna
Nonviolence is an eternal religion but the truth is that it is not being accepted as such. We think of ahimsa only when the clouds of a threatening situation hover over our heads and we are terribly frightened. It’s only then our efforts for its development begin. Thus we have come to regard ahimsa as a means to extricate ourselves from a difficult situation. That’s why independent development of ahimsa is not taking place. Violence is a negative tendency but it appears to be a positive one and nonviolence is a positive tendency but it appears to be a negative one. Nonviolence is the total negation of violence. This morphology has created a delusion. It has given rise to the erroneous belief that violence occupies the first place and nonviolence the second place. Dominated by this belief man takes it for granted that himsa or violence is necessary for life and ahimsa is not necessary. The day the inevitability of ahimsa is recognized the fortress of violence will automatically collapse.
The reality is that we inhabit the same earth, breathe in the same atmospheric system, and the same interplanetary radiation is affecting us all. We all need a favorable climate and environment. This natural situation has given rise to the idea of co-existence. We have to live together, stay together. It’s our inborn tendency. There are certain impediments too in this situation. These impediments are more imaginary and artificial than physical and geographical. We have created our own beliefs and concepts and are blinded by them. Hence we have lost direct touch with the reality. The truth that we are clinging to is what we see with our eyes covered with false beliefs. The air that comes sifting through this covering has become vital to our breathing. Seldom or never do we get an opportunity to breathe in through an open nose or see with open eyes. That is why there are walls between men and men. They are not able to see one another. Without being face to face there is no occasion for them to understand one another.
