Sai Baba's Teachings - Human Values / Non-violence

November 25, 2003

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Non-violence

Ahimsa (nonviolence) is another phase of Sathya (truth). When once

you are aware of the kinship, the oneness in God, the fundamental

Atmic unity, no one will knowingly cause pain or distress to another.

It (nonviolence) does not mean merely not injuring a living being.

You should not cause hurt even by a word, a look, or a gesture.

Tolerance, fortitude, equanimity - these help you to be steady in

ahimsa.

If a dacoit (thief) cuts off your hand, it is himsa (violence); if

the doctor amputates it, he saves your life and so it is ahimsa

(nonviolence).

Krishna wanted the peace of this world, and yet he encouraged this

big battle in which forty lakhs of people were killed. Is this

called himsa (violence) or ahimsa (non-violence)? Even then, Krishna

gave an appropriate answer to this. He said: Arjuna! Let us take the

case of a cancerous growth on the body, and this cancerous growth

gives pain to the whole human body, although the growth itself is

confined to a localized area. In this battle, or the operation,

forty lakhs of disease-causing germs will be killed for the benefit

of the world. Is this bad or is this for the good of the world?

We generally think that ahimsa (non-violence) means not causing harm

to some living being. Ahimsa is not just this. Even bad vision or

bad hearing or bad talk is himsa (violence).

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