Ahiísá Day

on

19.10.2004

at

The House of Commons

London

Reflections on Ahiísá and Indian Philosophy

Speech delivered by

Dr. Shantilal K. Somaiya

Chairman

Somaiya Trust

Mumbai

Reflections on Ahiísá and Indian Philosophy

Distinguished guests of today’s gathering, I am privileged and honoured to share a few thoughts 

on ahiísá on this special occasion.

Doctrine of ahiísá

The principle of Ahiísá (non-injury) is an integral part and the basic tenet of the Jain religion and philosophy. The doctrine of Ahiísá is very old in Indian thought but for the first time Jainism made it pervade the entire code of conduct of mankind. Ahiísá occupies the foremost place among the aïuvrata-s and mahávrata-s prescribed in Jainism. One should not cause injury in thought, by word or act. One should lead one’s life in such a way that it is in harmony with other living beings. Ahiísá is not merely a negative ideal. It includes not only abstention from inflicting injury upon others but also includes rendering of active service to living beings and loving them which is a positive aspect of the doctrine. Thus ahiísá indicates non-injury in action (karmaïá) (keÀce&Cee) in thought (manasá) (cevemee) and in speech (vácá) (Jee®ee). In his teachings Lord Buddha laid emphasis on mettá (cesÊee) loving kindness, karuïá (keÀ©Cee) compassion, and ahiísá (DeeEnmee) non-violence. He says one who kills living beings cannot be called an árya (Dee³e&) a noble person. One who protects the life of all is called as the noble person.

                                                na tena ariyo hoti yena páïáni hiísati /

                                                ahiísá sabbapáïánaí ariyo’ti pavuccati //

                                             (ve lesve Deefj³ees nesefle ³esve HeeCeeefve  eEnmeefle~ DeeEnmee meyyeHeeCeeveb Deefj³eesefle HeJeg®®eefle~~ Dhammapada XIX 15).  

The doctrine of Ahiísá was the essence of the vánaprastha ideal in Hinduism. The Chándogya Upaniúad (III xvii. 4) refers to Ahiísá. Sage Vyása says that the central theme of the eighteen Puráïa-s is that helping others is cause of merit and injuring others causes sin.

                                                   aúûádaùapuráïeúu vyásasya vacanadvayam /

                                                   paropakáraç puïyáya pápáya parapèãanam //

                                                                            DeäeoµeHegjeCes<eg J³eemem³e Je®eveܳeced~

                                                                            HejesHekeÀej: HegC³ee³e HeeHee³e HejHeer[veced~~

 In the Mahábhárata Vyása mentions non-violence as an important virtue for a self-restrained person.

 He proclaims, “Ahiísá is the best practice”.

                                                      ahiísá paramo dharmaç / 

                                                               (DeeEnmee Hejcees Oece&:~)

The Bhágavata Puráïa includes ahiísá (non-injury) into the characteristics of the dharma common to all members of society that fills human beings with dayá (o³ee) and karuïá (keÀ©Cee), that is, compassion and sympathy imbued with love for the whole of mankind.Pataòjali includes ahiísá in his aúûáñga -yoga as the first constituent of the five yama-s (forms of restraint) which are not different from the mahávrata-s in Jainism. According to Pataòjali truth and other forms of restraints and observances are based on the spirit of ahiísá (non-injury) and they are means for its fulfillment.

                                                    ahiísá satyásteyabrahmacaryáparigraháç yamáç /

                                                    (DeeEnmee mel³eemles³eye´ïe®e³ee&Heefjûene: ³ecee:~), (Yogasütra II.30)

says Pataòjali, the founder of the Yoga system of Philosophy.

Saint Tulasèdása, in his epic Rámacaritamánasa has stressed the importance of ahiísá at many places. He states that there is no religious duty higher than benevolence, helping others, and no sin worse than causing pain to others.

                                                      parahita sarisa dharma nahi bhaè /

                                                      parapèãá sama nahi adhamáè //

                                                                     Hejefnle meefjme Oece& veefn YeeF&~ HejHeeræ[e mece veefnb DeOeceeF&~~  

Mahatma Gandhi on ahiísá

Mahatma Gandhi practiced ahiísá in his life and used it as an amazing and unique weapon in the struggle of freedom movement of India. He says, “Passive resistance is a misnomer for non-violent resistance.” (Harijan, March 20, 1937)  At another place he says, “Non-violence is the Law of our Species, as violence is the Law of the Brute”. He also says, “I accept the interpretation of Ahiísá, namely, that it is not merely a negative state of harmlessness”. Love, active state of Ahiísá requires you to resist the wrong doer by disassociating yourself from him even though it may offend him or injure him physically”. (Young India, August  25, 1920) He remarks, “It is a speciality of non-violence that its action never stops. That cannot be said of the sword or the bullet. The bullet can destroy the enemy; non-violence converts the enemy into a friend and thus enables the civil resister to assimilate to himself the latter’s strength.” (Pilgrimage for Peace p.88) According to Mahatma Gandhi the method of non-violence is not in any shape or form a passive or inactive method. It is essentially an active movement, much more active than the one involving the use of sanguinary weapons.

I congratulate Mr. Nemu Chandaria for arranging the celebrations for the Ahiísá day which is a pressing need of the day.

Mahatma Gandhi on world peace

Mahatma Gandhi said, “There is no way to peace. Peace is the only way”. Thus peace is both, the path and end in itself. Modern world is fraught with wars and the agonies of wars. Violence has become the way of strong nations. For people and nations who do not practice ahiísá, Saint Tulasèdása retorts and says that the mighty rulers having brute force consider themselves to be infallible; they think, they can do any wrong to society and the week are not in a position to blame them for their unjust behaviour.

                                                         samaratha kahu nahi doúu gosáè /

                                                          (mecejLe keÀngB veeEn oes<eg ieesmeeF¥~) (Rámacaritamánasa Bálakáïãa 68.8)

Lasting peace can be achieved if people and nations realize the importance of non-violence as the only way of peace. Gandhi emphasized that the way of peace ends suffering and oppression not by warring against an enemy but by showing compassion and sympathy and by practicing active non-violence which is the only path to the ultimate peace.

Significance of anekántaváda in the context of ahiísá

At this juncture, it will be appropriate to see how Jainism has incorporated the doctrine of Ahiísá in its philosophy and made a unique gift to the world. Anekántaváda or Syádváda  also called Sapta-bhañgè-naya is the theory of relativity of knowledge. Sapta Bhañgè-naya means ‘dialectic of the seven steps’ or ‘the theory of seven-fold judgment’. The word ‘syát’ which is a Sanskrit verb means probable, perhaps, may be.

Syádváda is the theory of Relativity of knowledge. Reality has infinite aspects. They are all relative and no one can claim that he knows all the aspects. One can know only some of these aspects, the partial truth. The theory of Syádváda made people aware that their judgments are relative, conditional and limited. This theory allows others a right to hold a different opinion, a different view than our own which need not be criticised or discouraged. The Jaina-s narrate the old story of the six blind men and the elephant. The blind men who touched the different parts of the elephant tried to describe the elephant on the basis of the part touched by each one of them. Thus the man who caught hold of the ear said that elephant was like a country-made fan; the person touching the leg felt that the elephant was like a pillar; one who touched the tail said, it was like a rope. The person who touched the side said the animal was like a wall, so on and so forth. Thus the man who judges anything without considering different aspects of reality can claim only partial truth. This view makes Jainism open minded in its attitude towards other faiths, philosophies and living beings. To me this is the highest form of Ahiísá.

Glimpses of Indian Philosophy

The release of the book Indian Philosophical Terms: Glossary and Sources impels me to say a few words on Indian philosophy. Philosophy literally means love of learning or wisdom. Every person has his own philosophy of life. It is almost impossible for one to live without philosophy. In the words of Aldous Huxley, “The choice is not between metaphysic and no metaphysic, it is always between a good metaphysic and a bad metaphysic”.  Philosophy is a discipline that contemplates and seeks to critically illumine the ultimate reality. There exists a natural and necessary urge in all human beings to know the visible world (jagat) where they live and move themselves and the embodied soul (jèva) and God (jagadèùa).

There is a vast difference between the Western philosophy and the Indian philosophy. Indian philosophy is not merely speculative; it is related to life. The Western Philosophy is essentially an intellectual quest for truth, whereas Indian Philosophy is not merely exploratory, it is intensely spiritual in its nature and hence lays emphasis on the need of practical realization of the Truth, not only for great saints but for every one of us. That is why Indian Philosophy is denoted by the word ‘darùana’ which means both ‘vision’ and the ‘instrument of vision’. Indian mind is not satisfied by merely knowing, it longs for direct realization, distinct and clear vision of the Eternal Truth. Thus, ‘darùana’ stands for the actual perception and direct experience of Truth. It also includes the various means that lead  to immediate vision of the Ultimate Reality. The central theme of the Vedánta  Philosophy is ‘See the Self’. (átmá vá are draúûavyaç/) Deelcee Jee Dejs êäJ³e:~

Since the direct realisation of the Self, the Supreme Soul is the main aim of most of the systems of philosophy in India, most of them become direct or indirect cause of developing some or other religious sect. Here, philosophy and religion go together. The purpose of most of the systems of Indian Philosophy is the realisation of supreme bliss and annihilation of suffering. The suffering is said to be of three kinds – Ádhyátmika are those physical and mental sufferings, which are produced by natural and inter-organic causes. Ádhibhautika sufferings are physical and mental sufferings produced by natural and extra-organic causes. Ádhidaivika are physical and mental sufferings produced by supernatural and extra-organic causes. Man desires to become free from all these sufferings. This desire is reflected in the common practice of uttering the word ùántiç three times after each and every prayer, which aims at the removal of three types of sufferings.

The means, in almost all  systems of Indian Philosophy, are also three – ùravaïa is listening the truth;  manana is intellectual conviction after critical analysis and nididhyásana is practical realisation. It has been stated that the stages by which a person can arrive at realisation of the true nature of things, are also three. They are faith, understanding and realisation. The first stage is accepting the teachings of the great minds of the past. In the second stage a person arrives at a logical conviction through reasoning and analysis. In the last stage an individual becomes one with the Supreme and Ultimate Reality. Indian philosophical systems explain both sides of reality, the changeable and the unchangeable, being and becoming, permanent and impermanent, animate and inanimate. It is also said that all Indian philosophical systems have two common elements – an endeavor to attain mokúa (liberation) as the final ideal and the practice of asceticism to attain that ideal. The asceticism stands for non-attachment (anásakti and vairágya).

Indian Philosophy includes both Logic and Ethics. The origin of Indian Philosophy may be traced to the Upaniúad-s  that  are  philosophical in their content. They may be regarded as the cream of Vedic Philosophy. They play an important role in Vedic systems of Indian Philosophy. The founders of the Vedic schools of Philosophy have drawn inspiration from these sources which are like a large Manasasarovara lake full of the pure water of philosophical thoughts from which each thinker, like a swan, draws the pearls of his philosophical system. Though the different branches of Vedic Philosophy draw their inspiration from the common source, the same reservoir of thought, namely, the Upaniúad-s, yet their potentiality of growth and right of freedom of thinking are not affected. That is why the founder (øúi) of each system of philosophy tried to develop his own conclusions and offered his own reasons in support of those inferences. In spite of different views held by different systems of Indian Philosophy the declarations like ekam sat, vipráç bahudhá vadanti/, SkeÀb meod efJeÒee: yengOee Jeoefvle~  - ‘The Absolute Reality is One, the wise call it by many names’,  and ‘sarvam khalu idam Brahma/’- meJe¥ Keueg Fob ye´ïe ~ ‘all this is verily Brahma’ are widely accepted. It is difficult for any Vedic system of philosophy to go beyond these dictums. Almost all the schools of Vedánta philosophy are variants of the theme of Monism. It is said that there exists a transition from the naturalistic polytheism through transcendent monotheism to immanent monism in the pre-Upaniúadic philosophy. The Transcendent God, the Custodian of the Cosmic and Moral Order became Immanent Puruúa who became Brahman or Átman in the Upaniúad-s which is both Immanent and Transcendent.

The progress of Philosophy is due to the powerful advent of Jainism and Buddhism. In the words of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Buddhism had a cathartic effect in clearing the mind of the cramping effects of ancient obstructions... The critical side of philosophy became as important as the speculative. Dr. Radhakrishnan  points out that the Átmavidyá or philosophy is now supported by Ánvèkúikè or the science of enquiry” (Indian Philosophy Vol II PP 17-18). Each system was recognised as a darùana since each helps to see some aspect of the truth. But these apparently independent systems are branches of the one tree called Indian Philosophy.

India has given birth to great masters such as  Mahávèra and Buddha to whom not only Indians, the  entire humanity is indebted.  It has been rightly said, “From the first born men of this land the human race should learn code of conduct”.

                                                   etaddeùaprasütasya sakáùádagrajanmanaç /

                                                   svaí svaí caritraí ùikúeran pøthivyáí sarvamánaváç //

                                                                  SleÎsMeÒemetlem³e mekeÀeMeeoûepevceve:~ mJeb mJeb ®eefj$eb efMe#esjved He=efLeJ³eeb meJe&ceeveJee: ~~    

From times immemorial in an unbroken chain extending to the present day over the length and breath of the land, India has produced great masters, thinkers, philosophers and saints. Hence she is called santabhümi (mevleYetefce), the land of saints, and puïyabhümi (HegC³eYetefce) the sacred land.

It gives me great pleasure in placing this book Indian Philosophical Terms: ‘Glossary and Sources’ in the hands of those who want to be acquainted with the philosophical and religious trends and traditions of Ancient India. Indian Philosophy is classified into two classes, the first one includes the Buddhist, the Jaina and the Cárváka while the second one includes the Sáíkhya, Yoga, Nyáya, Vaiùeúika, Mèmáísá and Vedánta. The book throws light on these systems.

The book will enable the readers to understand integrity of philosophical thoughts in spite of variety of philosophical schools prevalent in India. They exemplify unity in diversity. The book is a project under the joint auspices of K. J. Somaiya Bharatiya Sanskriti Peetham, Mumbai, India and Institute of Jainology,  London and Ahmedabad. I am sure that this will be an invaluable reference book for the readers with inquisitive minds in general and the students of religion and philosophy in particular. This reference work is especially designed to fulfil the requirements of all those who want to explore and discover the hidden treasures of our glorious land.

The panorama of Indian religion and philosophy is vast and to take a comprehensive survey of all the aspects is doubtless an uphill task. However no pains have been spared in making the work as exhaustive as possible.

In closing, I compliment Nemu Chandaria and Mr. Harshad Sanghrajka who proposed the theme and Kala Acharya who, undertook the work Indian Philosophical Terms: Glossary and Sources and has achieved excellent success.

Thank you.

– Dr. Shantilal K. Somaiya

Chairman

Somaiya Trust,

Mumbai.