Acharya Tulsi
If the problems at present are analysed then it becomes clear that most of the problems emerge from violent feelings. War, fighting and conflicts—the root cause of all these problems is fear. The lightening in the sky clearly states the forming of clouds, in a similar way fear also states the descent of violence. Fear is caused from violence. If a man would not have hated another man, would not have tortured him, would not have deceived him and would not have killed him, then no fear would have been born in human relationship. But man has tortured others, plundered, deceived, reprimanded and killed them which are why fear has taken a deep root in his mind. Stricken by fear only he went forward in the way of manufacturing arms. From the Stone Age to Atomic Age fear has been in the background, behind every development. A man accumulates wealth. If he is asked why does he accumulate then his simple reply would be that wealth would be needed for his old age, without it what would provide support in sickness? In old age and sickness there is no assurance of any security. Inspired by this fear man accumulates. If there is an assurance of any security then the tendency of accumulation would automatically reduce.
Accumulation is a sort of violence which is influenced by fear. It is not like fear that actually exists everywhere. Many times it is merely in one’s imagination. If it is real somewhere then in other five places it is imaginative as well. The counterfeit exists on the basis of real coins.
Students and Violence
To save from violence and fear man had created society. To get the assurance of securing life only man had created society. ls the society providing him any assurance? Does society have the power to provide him assurance? I consider that system of society with full of flaws that cannot provide assurance of security to the human beings. A society that can provide solution for every problem and security. Only in such a system can the seeds of non-violence sprout. Today almost in the whole world students are emerging as a problem. The question arises if the new generation has come merely to get into conflict with the old generation? Behind the surging grievance and anger of new generation is there no resentment of old generation? Every new generation has been receiving the values of violence from old generation in legacy. The older generation’s obstinacy is only forcing the new generation to revolt. When some values relevant to a particular time and place take the shape of eternal values then only the young generation stops relying on old generation.
Thoughts are like waves. A system is part of tradition. If the waves go forward at their own place and traditions also remain active and change according to time then no fear arises. Only when their pace is obstructed they become a cause of fear. In Indian Philosophy there is a long tradition and perception of falsities. To consider non-enteral a as eternal and vice-versa is a wrong perception. What belongs to oneself to consider it as alien and what is alien to consider it as something that belongs to oneself, is a wrong perception. It creates fear. Unless one attains to truth no person can become fearless and without being fearless no one can become non-violent.
If someone stands on a more pragmatic field and perceives the problem of students then I have no doubt in solving their problem. Now the students have certain grievances and the fire of resentment towards older generation and their values is glowing. If they are given a chance to accept new thoughts and develop new social values, improve and solve economic problems then the violent tendencies emerging would automatically be dissuaded.
Whose Fault It Is?
The problem regarding students has another side to it that is quite strange. Some people believe in the victory caused by violence. They are of the view that by violent means the faster one may reach towards one’s goal which is not possible through non-violence. They often, inspire the students to be violent and the students also, due to their immaturity, accept such values. By dint of violence they also become successful in some work. This consolidates their belief on violence. This belief is a very big illusion. Every aspect of life cannot be dealt with either violence or non-violence. There are certain aspects of life that can be dealt with violence and some aspects that can be dealt with non-violence. If these two perceptions remain clear then no such biased thoughts is entertained by another and he doesn’t regard violence as the only means to attain to one’s goal in life.
The training of solving any problem by means of violence, creating pressure or by contradicting can be got from any place. But by means of violence or by relative means also the problems can be solved, such trainings are never found anywhere. So, if the students resort to violent means to resolve their issues then whose fault is it? At least students cannot be blamed for that. They can use only those armours which they have got in their legacy. They do not have any armour of non-violence so how on earth would they use it?
The responsibility of this fault goes to the old generation—the parents, teachers and the creators of such an educational system. Does the pedagogics not realize that like physical training, Psychology, Economics and Political Science, non-violence is also a branch of education? Studying non-violence is not less important than the aforesaid subjects. It is not merely a religious principle but one of the most important means to attain success in life. In family life, with neighbour’s social life, trade in mutual relationships and in all these fields non-violence can be used. What you cannot make others do by using abusive words you can easily accomplish it through love. During this journey of mine I went to Mehrauli Ashram. I found Ishwarbhai Desai there. He provides psychological treatment. He had treated some thousands of insane people. He had not tied even the most violent insane person with shackles. He uses love in his treatment. He has become very successful in this application. We have very little knowledge one values of non-violence. This is the reason why we make a mountain out of moll hills. One who doesn’t know the art of untying the knot he messes it up even more.
Basis of Social Life 4
I consider the study of non-violence as an integral part of Social Studies. A person is social but is not familiar with non-violence this statement is almost like a person is alive but is not aware of life. Non-violence is the soul of social life. Without understanding it no person can behave well with others. By rudely behaving with others one cannot expect good behaviour from them. Non-violence cleans the negative part of one’s instincts which is why it is closely related with all the instincts. I don’t think that other than the training of non- violence and its active application there is any other permanent solution for the problem of students.
There are many forms of violence. There are some forms which look undesirable at present but consequentially they look pleasant. There are some forms which look pleasant at present but consequentially they look undesirable. In South India when Shaivites tried to force Jainas-to change their religion then they (Shaivites) found it very good indeed. But when Muslims forced the shaivites to change their religion they did not find it good. Once the tradition of violence starts then it goes on for a long time. Sometimes the flow of violence gets subtler and goes underground. The Christian missionaries are carrying on with their activities of changing one’s religion in the name of charity. The form of violence is not visible in it. But if the consequence of charity becomes change of one’s religion then how on earth its real nature is charity? Hindus are not taking such activities of Christian missionaries in a positive spirit. Where is the source of Hindus dislike for it? If the origin of it can be reached then there is a possibility of solving their problem.
Violence is the Root Cause of Misery
The modem methods of ruling are gradually moving in the direction of control. The individual’s freedom is getting restricted. Is facility even more valuable than freedom? If it is not so then why is it happening? Why freedom is being snatched by giving facilities? In my view it is a sort of violent reaction. It feels good when an individual’s interest is fulfilled. The more it increases the more invitation does controlling over mass get. There are many people who are afraid of socialist or communist system. There are many conditions imposed over individual s interest or desire. Were such systems not born to full unconditional interests? If some selfish and stupid people's interests were not affected by the Buddhists then no harm would be caused at individual interest. They had never dreamt in their life that snatching rights of enjoying others interest would result into depriving themselves of their own interest who by the blessing of a divine entity were born to rule and exploit the poor.
Lord Mahavira was a very influential speaker of non-violence. He had said, ‘whatever missing is there is the outcome of violence.’ In the context of this feeling or realization the soul of present problem is revealed and in the context of present problem the soul of this realization is revealed.
