How to be Non-violent?

To be non-violent or to practice non-violence, one must first understand what violence actually is. How does it cause harm? And What real non-violence means? When we gain this knowledge and develop faith in it, only then does non-violence begin to manifest in our conduct and violence comes to a stop. Thus, the first step in practicing non-violence is to acquire the right understanding.

If, through our mind, speech, or body, suffering is caused to any living being even to the slightest extent, it is violence. By committing violence, paap (demerit karma) is bound, and as a result, we ourselves have to endure suffering. Thus, we must be careful so that we don’t hurt others.

“Real non-violence is that no living being suffers, even to the slightest extent, through our mind, speech, or body.”

Be aware of violence towards five-sensed beings

To be non-violent, the first awareness should be to ensure that we do not hurt people, because this is considered major violence. Among them, we should take special care that those in our home or family, the people closest to us, are not hurt. After that, anyone we encounter in life also should not be caused suffering.

After human beings, we should ensure that five-sensed beings are not harmed. Then, in sequence, we should practice non-violence towards four-sensed, three-sensed, two-sensed, and one-sensed beings. Among these, special care should be taken with trasakaya beings, those who experience pain or fear, who flee when frightened, such beings should never be caused any suffering.

In one-sensed beings, only the sense of touch is developed. These include vayukaya, teukaya, apakaya, vanaspatikaya and pruthvikaya (one-sensed, non-mobile living beings whose body is in the form of air, fire, water, vegetation, and earth respectively). If these beings experience distress or pain, they do not move away; hence, they are also called non-mobile beings. Causing harm to such beings is considered less grave than harming trasakaya beings.

In two-sensed beings, the senses of touch and taste (tongue) are developed. These include creatures like earthworms, intestinal worms, cowry shells, mussels, conch shells, and similar beings. The third sense, smell, becomes developed in three-sensed beings. These include creatures such as lice, ticks, bedbugs, small ants, large ants, caterpillars, weevils, termites, centipedes, snails, and others. In four-sensed beings, the sense of sight is developed. These include mosquitoes, flies, butterflies, moths, spiders, bumblebees, and similar creatures. Finally, the sense of hearing develops, in which some beings have ear-holes. Beings with ear-holes lay eggs, whereas beings with external ears give birth to their young. Snakes, rats, squirrels, lizards, bats, all animals and birds, as well as humans, fall under the category of five-sensed beings.

There is risk involved in harming gross (visible) beings, and among them, the greatest risk lies in harming five-sensed beings. If we put excessive emphasis on avoiding harm to one-sensed beings and seek forgiveness for that, but on the other hand, quarrel with family members and cause them suffering, then true non-violence is not being practiced. If conflicts or clashes occur with family members, one should first seek forgiveness for them.

The least demerit karma is bound in harming one-sensed beings; therefore, even seemingly harmless actions such as plucking leaves from trees while walking on the road should also not be done. Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan says that, “if you need a twig to clean your teeth, then you should ask the tree, ‘Please may I have one piece.’ Make a request like this.”

Begin with the intent of non-violence to be non-violent

Violence is of two types: one is dravya himsa (violence committed through thought, speech, or action) and the other is bhaav himsa (the intention to hurt or kill). The world is densely filled with living beings. We live in an ocean of living creatures. Some beings can be seen with the naked eye, while many cannot be seen at all. In such a situation, who can escape physical himsa (dravya himsa)? Even with a single sweep of the hand, countless living beings are destroyed. So, while living in this ocean of living beings, how is it possible to be truly non-violent?

While walking or driving, countless living beings are crushed. Even during cleaning at home or elsewhere, violence towards living beings inevitably occurs. In agricultural work too, knowingly or unknowingly, some violence inevitably takes place. So what can be done to avoid this violence? Even if one has a complete inner intent to practice non-violence, how much can one actually prevent through actions?

Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan says that today’s actions are the result of past life’s inner intent. If, in the past, there was a “leakage” in intent such as, “If violence happens, what can I do?”, then as a result of that, violence will indeed occur through us today. Therefore, Param Pujya Dadashri says to strengthen the inner intent that “I want to practice non-violence.” Firmly decide that no living being should suffer even to the slightest extent, that no violence should occur and if it does happen, ask for forgiveness.

Param Pujya Dadashri says that, “In the morning, before leaving home, you should recite the following intention five times, ‘May no living being in this world be hurt, even to the slightest extent, through the mind, speech, or body.’ If you end up hurting someone thereafter, you should take note of that and repent for that.”

By nurturing the intent that no living being should suffer, our conviction becomes firm. Then, when suffering does occur, sincerely repenting with a true heart creates an awareness so that the fault does not repeat. Even then, if the question arises as to how being completely non-violent is possible, its true understanding can be found in the following discourse of Param Pujya Dadashri.

Questioner: Is it really possible to live life without hurting a single living being amongst the many living beings around us? Is it possible to ever satisfy every single living being around us, in every circumstance?

Dadashri: The one who wishes to do so, can do everything. Even if it is not accomplished in one lifetime, it will nevertheless certainly be accomplished in two or three lifetimes! Your goal should be decided, the attention should simply be towards that, then it will definitely be accomplished.

Consider this, if one wants to make rasgulla or any such delicacy, one practices many times, experimenting on the family members for months, and only then serves the perfect dish to the guests. Just as for any new skill we decide, “I must learn this,” and after much practice it can be mastered, in the same way, if we constantly maintain the firm resolve that “no living being should suffer,” that too can be achieved. But that determination must be continuous. Where we fall short is that, after making the resolve, due to circumstances, our inner intent gets distorted. Thoughts such as, “It is bound to happen! While driving, insects will get crushed anyway. How careful can we be? Some harm will happen,” spoil the intent, and because of that, the resolve does not remain steady.

Take non-violent measures to stop violence

Even if our inner intent is firm that “I will strictly practice non-violence”, what should be done when someone around us engages in actions that involve violence? For example, if someone at home kills flies, mosquitoes, or creatures like lizards and geckos, how should they be guided? Answering this question, Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan says that we should gradually give that person the right understanding so that they come to accept it. If our efforts remain positive, then one day the result will surely manifest.

But if we become insistent about non-violence and become irritated with the person who is engaging in violence, then they will not listen to us at all. Instead, we should lovingly explain to them, “If someone were to frighten us like this or kill us, how much suffering would we feel? In the same way, we too should not kill any living being.”

Still, if the person does not accept it, Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan provides a beautiful solution in the following discourse, a solution that is within our control.

Questioner: Earlier, You had given the understanding that we should become instrumental in the efforts towards preventing himsa. We should speak lovingly with the person who does not believe in the practice of ahimsa and give him the [right] understanding. But even after lovingly explaining it to him, if he still does not accept it, then what should we do? Should we allow the himsa to continue, or is it appropriate to forcefully try to stop it?

Dadashri: You should pray to God in this way, pray to whichever God you believe in, by saying, “Oh Lord, make everyone free of himsa.” Nurture this intention.

If, while trying to stop violence, we become angry and cause hurt to the other person, we incur a fault. And if we do not try to stop the violence at all and simply allow it to continue, that too becomes a fault. Therefore, when no practical solution is found in our efforts to prevent violence, we should let go after praying sincerely and heartily.

In the effort to stop violence, we ourselves must remain completely non-violent. Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan says, “If the other person uses the weapon of himsa, then you should use the ‘weapon’ of ahimsa; only this will give rise to happiness. Otherwise, himsa will never stop through himsa. Himsa will stop through ahimsa.”

Subtle violence refers to the inner passions of anger, pride, deceit, and greed. If we become aggressive toward those who engage in gross violence and say, “You people are practicing violence, this will not be tolerated, stop it,” then, we end up trying to stop violence while remaining in violence ourselves. So, the other person will not accept what we say, and the violence will not stop. Just as vengeance cannot be removed by vengeance, but only by love, in the same way, conduct free of inner passions with love and detachment is the non-violent tool through which, someday, violence will come to an end.

When violence toward five-sensed beings is occurring around us, we should engage in anumodan (to encourage) for non-violence through heartfelt intent and prayer. Dada Bhagwan says, “Now, you should nurture such an intention, ‘These speechless animals should not be harmed, cows should not be slaughtered,’ and explain your opinions to others. Do as much as you can. There is no need to fight with others over this. If someone says, “My religion says that I should eat meat,” there is no need to start a fight with him just because it is forbidden in your religion. Be ready to apply the intentions you have nurtured, so that whatever is in the intentions will unfold as a value system.”

Granting Abhaydaan

Abhaydaan is the greatest of all gifts from a non-violent person. Abhaydaan means a state of conduct which does not induce fear in or hurt any living being. To whom should this gift be given? It should be given to those beings who are capable of feeling fear, those who experience distress or fright should be given abhaydaan. For example, even a small ant becomes frightened if we touch it with our hands; therefore, we should offer it abhaydaan.

How can we give abhaydaan to living beings? If sparrows, pigeons, or other birds are sitting somewhere, we should walk quietly and pass from another side, thinking that they might get scared and fly away. If we walk down the street at midnight and two dogs are sleeping there, we should think, “The sound of my shoes will startle them awake,” and quietly remove our shoes and walk home slowly. If any human or any living being gets frightened because of us, how can that be called humanity?

The highest form of non-violence, not taking up weapons even when capable

The Tirthankara Lords, who have gone beyond gross, subtle, subtler, and subtlest forms of violence, release their final breath just before liberation, and even in that breath there is violence toward vayukaya (air-bodied) living beings. If such violence were to bind karma for them, then wouldn’t they have to take birth again to suffer its result? How then would liberation be possible! Therefore, they must possess a certain state through which, even while performing actions, they remain entirely non-violent and free from karma, enabling them to attain Moksha.

When one is fully capable, possessing every strength and all weapons in hand, yet even if someone comes to attack, one does not raise a weapon; and not only that, one does not resist even in the mind, this is the highest and ultimate form of non-violence! Gnanis (the enlightened Ones) and Tirthankaras are completely non-violent. Tirthankara Lords possess every form of strength; they have the full ability to defeat or destroy an opponent, yet they set aside all weapons and remain seated in absolute detachment because they have become established in the Self!

In the state of the Self, it is impossible for one to hurt someone. Identifying with the body, believing “I am this body”, is where the subtlest form of violence arises, while abiding in the Self is the subtlest form of non-violence. Only when one becomes engrossed in the Self can liberation be attained, even while the body still exists.