Acharya Tulsi
Man desires peace. He wants to live in peace. If his peace is disturbed, he grows restless. Yet, despite his ardent longing for peace, he is surrounded by confusion. Because the infallible means for attaining peace is non-violence and as long as the consciousness of none—violence is not awakened in him, or is only partially awakened, man will continue to be violent. Violence is a kind of restlessness, the has is diametrically opposite peace. In the presence of restlessness, there can be no peace. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid violent inclinations.
Violence constitutes a dangerous turning in life a turn where there is confusion and darkness and the ground is slippery. Given alert traffic police and proper lighting on devious turnings, the possibility of an accident is minimised. lf the road is straight, one may cross it with ease in darkness, but no negotiate a turn, when nothing is visible, is to walk in the shadow of death every minute.
The part of non-violence is somewhat longer, but there are no dangerous turnings there, nor slippery ground nor darkness an individual advances along such a path with assurance and reaches his destination in good time. Non-violence has two elements relativity and co—existence. These grow out of Ahekant, the Jain doctrine of Non-absolution. The world today stands at a turning, to advance from where it needs the philosophy of Anekant which consists of viewing a situation happening from different aspects and harmonising elements in a pair of opposites. This is indeed this basis of relativity and co-existence. Relaying on the walking stick of Anekant, man can move in the direction of peace, and live a peaceful life. Without an understanding of Anekant, the world-war remains an imminent possibility.
Not to kill, not to cause pain or offence to another is a form of non-violence. It is not however the perfection of non-violence; only its behavioural aspect. Non-violence in thought is much more important. It is the entry of violence in thought which provides an occasion for violence or none—violence to be activated. Violence in thought is more dreadful; its consequences more fatal. It is difficult to fully gauge the power of thought. Those who have gone into this matter are experimenting with a new way of treatment, called therapeutic thinking. In the practice of this treatment, negative thoughts like violence, fear, despair, etc. have no value at all. Non-violence alone is based upon positive thinking. Positive thinking can flourish only in the rich soil of Anekant. Without Anekant, world peace is unimaginable.
The second major factor in the establishment of peace is training in the development of the consciousness of renunciation. The hedonistic mentality encourages violence. If man wants to live in peace, he would have to recognize the importance of self- abnegation and develop a consciousness of renunciation. Our Gurudev, AncharyaBhikshu has stated this truth in unequivocal terms: "Renunciation is religion; pursuit of pleasure is non-religion"; “Self-discipline is religion; self—abandonment is non-religion. “ "The divine order is religion; anything contrary tothis order.is non-religion." Such an intellectual faith can ignite theflame of non-violence in an individual.
If one talks of world peace, while one’s own mind is greatly agitated, how will tranquillity descent upon one? On the one hand, we hold seminars on peace, on the other hand, we support the development of highly destructive atomic weapons: What an incongruity: We shall be able to transcend such contradictions only if there is control over the use of atomic weapons.
The churning of mere water yields no butter, similarly, violence can never be productive of peace. All the secrets of peace abide in non-violence. There is no precept greater than that of none—violence, nor any weapon more powerful. There is, however, need for more research in this field. Until this research is consummated, as long as we are lost in imagination, the implementation of non-violence will remain a dream. We must take off the cloak of imagination for world peace to become a living reality.
