The Buddhist concept on Ahimsa
The
meaning of non-violence means abolition from violence. The concept of
non-Violence or the concept of Ahimsa, has interpret many ways in different
systems or different phenomena. On the track of western interpretations it
interprets as movements in active sense for that which we call Non-violence
direct action. In that era the first person was Mahatma Gandhi but he was not a
western person he was an Indian on the other hand Martin Luther king, Nelson
Mandela, the campaign against Augusto Pinochet (no campaign) those are the basic
characters and the movements which gave arise to the meaning of non-violence
direct action as processing movement in present world and it was an active moment.
But here that we have to think this view came from where? The reply is from the
Asian spiritual, philosophical system. Furthermore it came from Indian
philosophical system and the western world develops the concept and interprets it
as own concept. In this case that we have to thankful Mahatma Gandhi, he is the
one the concept of ahimsa brings present in energetic way. Anyhow this is the
one point of view of Ahimsa but it has, the term of Ahimsa has long history
from 6 to 4th BCE and
up to now, we can say it as the understanding of religious. What according to
this interpretation ahimsa means abolition of giving pain, the very meaning
non-violence. Certainly the idea of ahimsa always use in Buddhist canon. In the
point of Buddhism the word of ahimsa has deep meaning and Lord Buddha use it in
soft manner. We can take to mean ahimsa as the main pillar or the main
foundation of Buddhist standard. More significantly Buddha has explains about
ahimsa in profound manner. On the contrary when we observe the other religions
in optimistic way we cannot expect the real meaning of ahimsa in those
religious views. Significantly, without praising that we can emphasize the
Buddhism has the pure ahimsa in the realm of the meaning of the world. Buddhist
insight reading ahimsa turn out to be applicable to areas as environmental
ethic, daily living, relations with and ethical considerations regarding other
animals, and surely our need to understand the plight of marginalized humans.[1]
It is certainly true that the land mark of the concept
of ahimsa fertilized in every corner of Buddhist doctrine. So purely we can say
that Buddhism is distributing the whole notion of ahimsa in world without any diffidence.
What is more in this essay we are deliberating more deeply about ahimsa and try
to explain ahimsa how interpreting in Buddhism?
More deeply when we think
about the teaching of ahimsa is a sort of main moral obligation or ethical
obligation in Buddhist doctrine and we ought to follow the very meaning of
ahimsa. According to this idea Buddha explains in his dharma, the teaching of
pancasila or the percept of five way of Buddhist morality. “panatipata veramani
sikkhapadam samadiyami” that means I undertake the precept to refrain from
destroying living creatures. In the sense of the meaning of this dhamma verse,
that it explains the compact view and the wide idea of the Buddhist view on
ahimsa. This was the main vinaya or moral rule of Buddhist philosophy. It
implies killing is not a morally right action. Here one thing we have to
mention which Buddha use to communicated that Understanding the Law of Kamma “cetanaham
bhikkhave khammam vadami” (O Monks, what I call karma is motive; …) so when the
motive is connect with action and
It
leads people to do bad action or good action but here is bad side of this view
most probably, it makes people violence.in addition sums up this whole idea killing
living beings means against the first precept of fifth sila. Behaving violently
means go against cultivating of good deeds and as consequently and more highly
we can say the percept of five way of
Buddhist morality explains ahimsa in extensive way.
When we
are exploring the deep teaching and understanding about ahimsa, we could find
the book of Dhammapada in Buddhist canon as a source of religious moral
explanation. Many scholars are titled it as noteworthy book of Buddhism.
Basically when we are go deep to the content we can find the pure explanations
of Buddha about ahimsa. In Dhammapada there has various kinds of clarifications
on ahimsa but effectively it explains on ahimsa in “Dandavaggo” (The Rod) in
Dhammapada.[2]
Sabbe tasanti dandassa, sabbe bhayanti
maccuno,
attanan upaman katva nahaneyya, na
ghataye.[3]
All
tremble at the punishment, all fearful of death, drawing parallel to you; neither
kill nor get other to kill.
Sabbe tasanti dandassa, sabbesan jivitan piyan,
attanan upaman katva na haneyya, na
ghataye.
All tremble at the punishment, all love their life,
drawing parallel to you, neither kill nor get other to kill.[4]
In whole Dammapada these are the major verses which explain the ground of
karma and the notion of ahimsa vice-versa. If the person makes wrong deeds he
will suffer and if he has doing right deeds he will be not suffer in this life
or next life. The main argument here is think about your life and like you others
have right to live freely and like you fear for death and others also fear for
death. On the other hand if we see the Buddhavaggao of Dhammapada, explains the
karma and its explanation on ahimsa.
Sabbapapassaakarnan,
kusalassa upasampada,
sacittapariyodapanan,
etam Buddhana sasanan.[5]
Non-doing of any evil, the performance of what’s
skillful, the cleansing of one’s own mind, this is the teaching of Awakened.
According to Bapat this verse
surround the idea of middle path.[6] In fact it is true and on the other way it is
mentioning the impression of ahimsa involving with karmic foundation. In here
we can see the action and consciousness is leading people towards ahimsa. In
addition we can see through this verse the moral foundation of Buddhism beyond
ahimsa.
In
Buddhist literature the boys named Sunitha and Sopaka are the people who
received the boundless compassion from the Buddha. These stories are the mostly
highlight in Buddhist canon. On the other hand in the series of the Jathaka
emphasize the ahimsa in detail between previous life and present life. On the
other hand “Kurudhamma Jataka emphasize the idea that at least in a lay
context, unintended harm to others should not be counted against one, and it is
not wise to agonize over such matters.[7]
Certainly these stories are more
practically illuminate the identical good meaning about ahimsa. So in that
sense we can say ahimsa is a kind of main teaching which Buddha explains.
The
eightfold path is kind of a major way conscious about middle way and it is a
path to make people compassionate. First we have to identify what is eightfold
path. The first step is right view. Certainly the teaching here the rationality
is the foundation to reach reasonable judgment. Anyhow all eightfold path is a
live philosophy how to live in middle way, so through that idea we can practice
the path not to go extremes use middle way and it is a path to achieve the
ahimsa. Here I can give a note from the book of 2500 history of Buddhism. “ Rid yourself of all superstitions, animism
and primitive rights, give up your faith in the cruel animal or human sacrifice,
in the inquiry of human beings , and in the existence of a prime creator of the
universe and depend and your own power of pure reasoning. This step gave
Buddhism its rational basis”. [8]
on the track of this idea Buddhism is non-orthodox philosophy and it emphasize
its own identity and it keeps the Buddhism purely. It is certainly true that under
this all circumstance lead Buddhism to spared ahimsa to every habitat on earth.
So here we can say eightfold path is a right way and its teachings make people
connect with ahimsa. Because Buddhism is not only preaching it has active
process. In the atmosphere of Buddhism, The Four Sublime States also explain
the states of ahimsa in Buddhism. Metta-caring,
loving kindness displayed to all you meet. Karuna-compassion or mercy, the
special kindness shown to those who suffer. Mudita-sympathetic joy, being happy
for others, without a trace of envy. Uppekha - equanimity or levelness, the
ability to accept others as they are. So in the sense of the four sublime
states also giving the deep compassionate idea of ahimsa in Buddhism. On the
other hand if we consider about this ahimsa it is always connect with karmic
concept of Buddhism. Certainly according to Buddhist collecting evil deed means
you choose your own samsara long. That means your liberation is far from you
and making good deeds means you are behaving harmlessly.
Now these days the principle of ahimsa is a valuable topic to whole
world because when we see the world, every place has conflicts. People do not
know how to behave with their own people. Actually reason for that we can point
out lack of non-violence. If we think broadly the ahimsa is the best solution
for the world to make them free from everything. So we can say ahimsa is a
significant principle of Buddhism.
[1]
K.T.S. Sarao, The Origin and Nature of Ancient Indian Buddhism, Delhi: Eastern
Book Linkers, Delhi: R&R Publishers, 1989 : 65
[2]
Suriyagoda Sumangala Thero, The Dhammapada, Pali text society, London, 1914.
[3]
Suriyagoda Sumangala Thero, The Dhammapada, Pali text society, London, 1914:19
[4]
Suriyagoda Sumangala Thero, The Dhammapada, Pali text society, London, 1914:19
[5]
Suriyagoda Sumangala Thero, The Dhammapada, Pali text society, London, 1914:27
[6]
Bapat P.V., 2500 Years of Buddhism, printed at government of India press, New
Delhi, 1956:31
[7]
K.T.S. Sarao, The Origin and Nature of
Ancient Indian Buddhism, Delhi: Eastern Book Linkers, Delhi: R&R
Publishers, 1989 :68
[8]
Bapat P.V., 2500 Years of Buddhism, printed at government of India press, New
Delhi, 1956:30
