I again received a request from the same friend on Ahimsa...
Thank you sir ,
for the detailed explanation and the time & the efforts you
have taken to give us the needed reply !.... Here I wanted to
particularly, know whether their Dharma’s give sanction/ permission, to their
followers to kill Animals for food !
In Bhuddism , they talk about Ahimsa but how they can kill ?
“Ahimsa paramo Dharmaha” Is not adopted by Bhuddists !
In Bible and Khuran , this Killing is permitted by
prophets and Jesus !
Give some light on this aspect also !
Thank you .
REPLY
Sorry again sir, I'm just trying to find time to answer your
queries... Hopefully, I'm successful this time in again providing clarity....
First let us define AHIMSA – it’s a Sanskrit term that says “NO
INJURY not only by deeds but by words and thoughts too (i.e. Kaaya, Vachaa and
manasaa”). It is not only to be applied to humans but also expands into
avoidance of the vain (unnecessary) destruction of animal life too. Taking this
into consideration Gautam Buddha or Shakyamuni Buddha elucidated to his monks
as “even if bandits were to sever you savagely limb by limb with a two-handle
saw, he who gave rise to a mind of hate towards them would not be carrying out
my teaching”…. This statement many followers today find it as an extreme form
of Ahimsa to follow. They say "how should Buddhists react to people such
as killers - if we don’t exist then what ahimsa is going to exist. If we die
then Himsa will win and not Ahimsa?”. Another point they say, with the same
intensity is that “We are in a place where growing of vegetables is difficult
and not possible perennially so what should we do to survive”.
Well, We love our life the most and when our survival is at
stake, we compromise… we find ways to redeem this sin (do more japa or service
to others etc etc)… we find ways to absolve the acts saying that the lower life
forms where the intellect or brain is the smallest can be sacrificed to become our
food for survival.
These people are only working on the “Annamaya Kosha”(– State of
physical existence). They have neither experienced nor transcended to
“Aanandamaya Kosha” (– a state of bliss) where, nature starts to act
through you.
The mere look at Gautama Buddha brought about an internal
churning in Angulimaala (if you remember the story) who preferred to give up
HIMSA and follow AHIMSA in its true sense. This is what happens when you
function from the “Aanandamaya Kosha” or the “field of all Possibilities” where
only your intent will be the driving force that is so impactful that the other
realizes and transforms just by the look. This is what the effect of Gautam
Buddha was, hence he was the ENLIGHTENED ONE. The present day monks I call are
Pseudo-Buddhists if they do not follow the actual principle of AHIMSA or
partially follow Ahimsa.
Gautama Buddha in the Dhammapada clearly says, “That one I call
a Brahmin who has put aside weapons and renounced violence towards all
creatures. Such a one neither kills nor helps others to kill…That one I call a
Brahmin who is never hostile to those who are hostile toward him, who is
attached among those who are selfish and at peace among those at war”. Except a
handful of people who live by this doctrine, the rest just prefer to stay in
the beastly state.
Finally, I say it's a choice of the individual that he needs to
exercise. Does he want to remain in the sensual beastly state (meeting the
needs of your body that is devoid of value for other beings & creatures or
remain human who wants to attain the enlightened state.
Gautama Buddha wanted people to outgrow from the ANIMAL HOOD (of
sensuality & feed the hunger) to the elevated state of God hood (of
Spiritual Perfection or Enlightenment/ Nirvana). He also laid the pathways to
attain the enlightened being state.too. But, the present day followers have
made the beastly state as their comfort zone. This comfort zone is devoid of
following the principles of Ahimsa OR they follow their own moulded/ modified/
altered Ahimsa principle that is best suited to them. This is completely
against the doctrines that Buddha propagated.
Another that I have observed is that, people use the phrase,
“I’m a Buddhist” so that the listener of the phrase places him on a higher
mental platform and considers the person to be virtuous just as Gautam Buddha –
and embodiment of Ahimsa, peace, equality, friendly, etc which are outcomes of
following the 8 Fold Path of Buddhism. But in reality he is no-where close to
following the principles of Buddhism. Those who follow the principles in
totality are extremely a small number (I have a friend called Shashi Nayar who
is one such person). But majority are pseudo followers whose life &
lifestyles today are certainly NOT BUDDHA like.
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