Acharya Mahaprajna
Time-Winning Script Of Nonviolence
'The Jews of the world please pardon us', this sublime voice, even though true, seems to be like imagination or dream. On the one side, there is a tide of violence and terror in the entire world and on the other side there is the hope that the tide of non-violence may come, is it not really a surprise?
Resolution of German Parliament
The resolution passed by the elected Parliament of East Germany (12 April 1990) touches that summit of non-violence in which there is a provision to cleanse the past. The language of the resolution is as follows:
'We, for the first time freely elected parliamentarians of East Germany, being German accepting our responsibility of the past and future of East Germany declare before the world that during the period of Nationalist Socialism immense suffering was caused by Germans. Nationalism and racial madness indulged in cruel destruction in the whole world, particularly of Jews. Soviet Russia, Polish and Gypsies people were also its victims. This parliament collectively accepts the responsibility of disrespect, banishment, and murder of Jewish women, men and children. We own up the burden of German history and are feeling pain and shame.'
'We beg pardon and forgiveness from the Jews of the world. Even after 1945 in our country Jewish citizens were tormented and disgraced. We ask for pardon from Israel Government that East German Government adopted inimical and fraudulent policy towards Israel. We express our desire that we want to heal up the mental and physical wounds of surviving Jews. By compensating them of their economic loss we want to recompense the loss as far as possible. We are in favour of giving shelter to tormented Jews in East Germany.
New beginning
The language of resolution raises a question—has this resolution arisen out of change of heart or has been produced in the land influenced by Glasnost and Perestroika? Whatever be the answer, the change being perceived is a fresh departure in the direction of non-violence from violence. For a spiritual person, the review of the past is necessary. It is not necessary in the field of politics. There is a famous statement of the Mahabharata:
Na kaścid kaśycid mitram, na kaścid kaśyacid ripuh
Kāraṇādeva jāyante, mitrāṇi ripavastathā.
i.e., No one is a friend of any one; no one is an enemy of any one. Because of some reason friends and foes come up.
In politics, no one is a friend of any one; nor is any one a foe of others. Because of some reason one becomes friend or foe.
New sunrise
In the horizon of that politics without any reason the sun of friendship rises, is it not like an impossible event? The feet that the parliamentarians of East Germany have put ahead is commendable for that world also which has faith in nonviolence and which is eager to establish world peace under its umbrella.
When with power, wealth and authority cruelty gets united unbecoming things happen. In this century world, has witnessed despotic autocrats, has withstood their tyrannies, and. has suffered their atrocities. To capture power and to have tight grip over it what has not been done? In such an atmosphere if people seated on positions of power beg pardon and forgiveness, if this is not to be regarded as new sunrise then what else it is to be regarded?
Revolutionary step
The story of oppression is very old. Without cruelty, it is not possible. Cruel person regards other persons like worms and insects and therefore he has no hesitation in inflicting suffering on others. In the field of non-violence, the principle of compassion was propounded and it was told to treat all as like one’s own self. Democracy is practical or social application of non-violence. In this system, the ruler can be cruel but he cannot be despotic tyrant; cannot sacrifice six million Jews in the torture camps.
The president of Soviet Russia Gorbachev developing the policy of Glasnost has forced towards death the system of dictatorship which leads to autocracy and cruelty. This is a revolutionary step.
Rare event
In society control is needed, and this is granted, but it should not be so tight that in its grip a human being loses his existence and becomes mere puppet in the hands of the controller. There is this charge on democracy that in its work process there is not that swiftness and promptness which is in dictatorship. To some degree it can be regarded as true. The rulers in democracy cannot do capricious harm then in doing good also there can be procedural slackness. One person may not do injustice to others; if this necessity is conjoined with ruler-ship then only society can be healthy. The wheel of time keeps circulating; in it some highly ambitious people get engaged in increasing their power. By tightening their grip on military, they become autocrat or dictator. The dictators of this century have behaved with human kind in such a cruel way that has outdone the past. The arrogance of Hitler was of a unique type. Wherever his terrorist claw reached that nation became the victim of inhuman acts. Not only Jews, many other nations were tormented, crushed and terrorized. The parliament of East Germany has expressed humble sympathy towards all of them and has raised the voice of forgiveness This is a rare event of history. Can it be so thought that in twenty first century no dictator is born, and there is no recurrence of this black history? If this asking for forgiveness may create such an atmosphere, then the future of humanity will be very bright.
