Acharya Tulsi
The life of a living creature in the world always remains dependent on others. There is no living creature which remains absolutely self- reliant. A creature is a combination of two factors—soul and the body, the meeting of these two factors only begin the journey of dependence on others. A disembodied soul has no expectations whatsoever. He has no business whatsoever with anyone.
His only job is to revel in the state of self-realization. All our expectations are related to our bodies. The expectations of celestial or subtle bodies may differ. But both these bodies draw inspiration from the gross body. In the presence of gross or physical body no soul can live independently.
Among all living creatures of the world, man is the most developed conscious creature. He uses the earth, water and other necessary things for his sustenance. He has a multi-dimensional relation with plants. Plants play a vital role in fulfilling his basic needs in making food, clothes and shelter. They provide him life, happiness and other conveniences so he uses them in an uncontrolled manner. This is a selfish perspective. What is the utility of man remaining oblivious to the pleasure and misery of other living creatures for his own happiness and prosperity?
Happiness for Someone: Misery for the Other
Man has consciousness and a longing to be happy. In a similar way plants also have consciousness and the same longing to be happy. Lord Mahavira has said—'एस लोए वियाहिए'—(Plants have their own world). A plant respires, draws food, feels pleasure or pain and is caught in the circle of life and death. As long as this phenomenon isnot understood its free existence would never be approved. Just because it comes in use for men, to consider it a non-living object would be to play with its consciousness.
Some children were playing near a pond. They took some stones in their hand and threw them in water. The calm surface of the pond got stirred. It created ripples on it and the water assumed the shape of waves. A western scholar was sitting there. He observed the sport of children and also noticed the ripples formed on the surface of water. The pain of water descended on him. He could not remain silent. His pain got ventilated through a poem. The Hindi translation of it is somewhat like this
खेल में तुमको पुलक उन्मेष होता है |
लहर बनने में सलिल को क्लेश होता है ||Those who feel the pain of water they never mutualize it.
Outside the Purview of God’s Verdict
A garden is a natural means of health and entertainment for a human being. Just for pleasure if someone breaks the branch of a tree, plucks flowers, then what pain does a plant feel? A plant is so sensitive that if a person enters the garden with a motive to strip it off then without any prior information it starts trembling.
It reads the mind of the person and realizes the motive of his coming. Ignoring the pain of the plant and to use it for one’s selfish desire unnecessarily cannot be a justice to the plant kingdom. Lord has said ‘एत्थ अगुत्ते अणाणाए'—A person who remains-careless to the plants, uses them unnecessarily, he is outside the purview of my verdict. One who keeps this sutra in mind can remain aware of all living creatures and makes judicious use of them.
It is Necessary to Save Oneself from Unnecessary Violence
'जीवोजीवस्यजीवनम्' —It is a principle. Making an excuse based on this principle those who advocate the cause of violence towards plants and such other creatures, why do they forget that 'परस्परोपग्रहोजीवानाम्'is also a principle. If a living creature remains empathetic and helpful towards others creatures then he cannot affect their welfare. Even if the violence caused unnecessarily can be refrained from this will surely be consolidated. Those who never aim to save themselves from such violence what cruelty they may unleash towards other living creatures cannot even be imagined.
Man needs bread, he needs shelter but life can go on without any means of hedonistic pleasures. In marriage ceremonies and such other occasions those who use flowers for decoration have they ever thought that how many innocent lives are annihilated for their gratification! Is it necessary to use such hedonistic means to run life? If some hundreds and thousands of people can lead their life without such embellishment, then why do some people for their pleasure unleash atrocities over such living creatures? If such violence can be stopped to a certain extent then also it may bring a radical change in the lifestyle of human beings.
Root Cause of Problems
Longing for happiness doesn’t merely enable one to get it. In a similar way hurting someone or causing pain also doesn't make a person happy. So one must not remain oblivious to leaving creatures no matter how tiny or small they are. Man must have a broader perspective towards food grains, vegetables, fruits, flowers, grasses, and other plants because plants are necessary for the sustenance of human beings. Massive cutting of trees is to ruin environment. The impending perils lurking over the head of human beings due to ruined environment can only be eliminated through restrain. The two couplets from Ramayana composed by Keshraj are being presented-
बलते छांटो अमिय रो |
आरति मांहि सुबोल ||At the time of misery a few sympathetic words gratify a person beyond limits, as if nectar has been sprinkled over any scorched limb.
Restrain is also a kind of nectar. The flame of increasing desires is augmented by massive use of material products. To make it calm the only way is restrain. The penance of restrain makes one blissful, helps one to get detached from materials, one feels contented and makes oneself free from taking oaths or alternatives.
The problems are increasing; it can be seen by all. Why problems are increasing is something that cannot be perceived by all. Jaina Tirthankaras have considered non-restrain as the root cause of all the problems. The modern man tries to disarm all the problems by scientific developments. But this wish is somewhat like feeding oneself with dust. To cross the ocean of problems man has to board on the boat of restrain. To consider life as restrain must be made an ideal and personal gratification must be restricted.
