Guest guest Posted June 10, 2007 Report Share Posted June 10, 2007 Namaste. If a person is cutting his arm due to a mental condition, is it Ahimsa not to interfere? If you are walking down the street and somebody is attacking a woman, is it Ahimsa to walk on by? If a person is eating meat and absorbing all kinds of bad molecules, antibiotics and vibrattions, is it Ahimsa to not do anything? Especially if the person is on a spiritual path? Ahimsa in its broader sense is to resist violence rather than complete non-violence in the face of 'harm'. Even Gandhiji approved of resistance and violence in some circumstances. One should not let the superstitions of religions to overcome the essence of the teachings.............Hupa. Looking for a deal? Find great prices on flights and hotels with FareChase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 Hupa Ram-Das wrote: > Namaste. > > If a person is cutting his arm due to a mental condition, is it Ahimsa not to interfere? > > If you are walking down the street and somebody is attacking a woman, is it Ahimsa to walk on by? > > If a person is eating meat and absorbing all kinds of bad molecules, antibiotics and vibrattions, is it Ahimsa to not do anything? Especially if the person is on a spiritual path? > Hupa-Ji, I am not clear on what you are saying. In Indian families and social circles and most Indian restaurants, it is common to have vegetarians and non-vegetarians eat together. One brother may be a vegetarian, another may not be, and so on. Do you have a specific approach you are advocating to spread ahimsa and nonviolence through vegetarian diet. I hope you are not suggesting engagement in vigorous arguments on vegetarianism on the dinner table among family members every evening. This is a difficult topic for many people. Perhaps other vegetarians can share with us how they view such situations within families where some believe very strongly in and other do not appear to care much about food and eat whatever they like. Namaste and love to all with respect Harsha > Ahimsa in its broader sense is to resist violence rather than complete non-violence in the face of 'harm'. Even Gandhiji approved of resistance and violence in some circumstances. > > One should not let the superstitions of religions to overcome the essence of the teachings.............Hupa. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 PraNAms to all First I must admit that I cannot find any connection to issues Shree Hupa Ram-Das has been raising to the article Shree Harshaji edited on Hinduism and Vegetarianism. Hence I choose to be silent to the mails Hupa Ram-Das ji. Something is propelling me to respond now - hence here are my understanding. Ahimas is one of the three pillers of sadhana other being brahmacharya and satyam. Ahimsa - does not involve just being a vegetarian but involves much more. Ahimas does not involve forcing others to be a vegetarian unless they are your dependents - but convincing others to be vegetarian - yes. Ahimsa includes all there karaNas - manasaa, vaacha and karmanaa - by mind, by speech and by action. I don’t hurt any other being (sarvabhutaas - not just animals but plants too) for my sake. In the article it was clearly mentioned that 'Life lives on Life' and that is the law of nature. But as human being I have a choice to exercise and as a compassionate being I do least harm to the nature. Hence eating for living sake is the norm than the other way around. Not only I should not hurt any being - Krishna says -a seeker should have in mind 'sarva bhuuta hite rataaH' - well being of all. 'sarve bhavantu sukhinaH...' let all be happy. Gandhi had three monkeys - that does not want to see bad, hear bad or speak bad. But one intelligent fellow asked - if you close your eyes how do you what you are about to see is good or bad - first you have to see and then decide that it is bad - but then it is too late. Hence Scriptures are more understanding - In the prayer it starts- Om bhadram karnebhiH sRinuyaama devaaH, Bhadram pasyemaa....' - Hay Gods - Let we see only auspicious things . Let we hear only auspicious things... - it is a petition to Gods since we have no choice to see or not to see - as we cannot but see when we open our eyes. Hence please let us see only auspiciousness in everything we see! That is a tall order and requires a high degree of a frame of mind. It is like Dharmaraja reporting back to Krishna that he could not find any bad people in this world! Helping others in need - as Shree Hupa Ram-das mentioned - are part of swadharma - I do not want others to hurt me or any one - If I can stop anyone hurting unnecessarily others I should stop, since I expect others to come to my rescue when I am in trouble. These are all universal values. But following ahimas involves not to think bad about any body mentally - not to speak ill of anybody unnecessarily and not do any action that hurt others unnecessarily. Forcing others to be vegitarians is also a violence too. It is like few people here who want stop abortion and in that process ready to kill others to force their conviction. The value of life is misplaced. What is required is for eachone to follow his swadharma. Our swadharma is to eat what is needed for the body causing least damage to the nature. Since Life lives on life, before eating offer it to the Lord and eat as prasaadam or gift from the Lord. The attitude is then different. Chant the sloka - brahmaarpanam brahma haviH .. etc with complete understranding of the sloka before we partake the food. Hari Om! Sadananda --- Harsha wrote: > Hupa Ram-Das wrote: > > Namaste. > > > > If a person is cutting his arm due to a mental > condition, is it Ahimsa not to interfere? > > > > If you are walking down the street and somebody is > attacking a woman, is it Ahimsa to walk on by? > > > > If a person is eating meat and absorbing all kinds > of bad molecules, antibiotics and vibrattions, is it > Ahimsa to not do anything? Especially if the person > is on a spiritual path? > > > Hupa-Ji, I am not clear on what you are saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 Hupa-ji: You raise some interesting questions in your post. Sadaji has already addressed some of these questions very nicely. However , let me also add a few more points ... you ask : (If a person is cutting his arm due to a mental condition, is it Ahimsa not to interfere?) Of course not! You do try to 'save ' the person by snatching away the 'instrument ' ( a knife or whatever) from his hand, But , that is only a temporary solution ! What is the long term solution ? To get that person seek long term psychtherapy to get to the 'root' of the problem as to why the person is entertaining suicidal thoughts ! The therapist will decide what is the best course of action that will help and heal that person - a combination of individual or joint psychotheraphy seSsions along with medications management ! That is the real 'ahimsa' -not just snatching away the 'knife' - to show the 'path' to healing ! once the person recovers , he should also seek 'spiritual' counselling!In U.S.A, no adult can be admitted into a pshchiatric prograame without his consent unless he is a threat to himself or society ! Hupa-ji , one sholud always deal with the 'roots' of a problen not just treat the symptoms ! That is what good doctors /good therapists do ! then you ask , ( If you are walking down the street and somebody is attacking a woman, is it Ahimsa to walk on by?) No , not at all ! But , may i ask you in the same vein , why were the Pandavas and other Elders like Bhismacharya , Dronacharya , Kripacharya etc etc etc were helpless on lookers when Draupadi was 'disrobed' by Dussashana and publicly humiliated in front of a live audience ? Every One woman in Ten is attacked everyday in the streets of New York or Bomaby - what is the long term solution ? we are living in Kali yuga , dear Hupa-ji ! THEN YOU GO ON TO ASK (If a person is eating meat and absorbing all kinds of bad molecules, antibiotics and vibrattions, is it Ahimsa to not do anything? Especially if the person is on a spiritual path?) VEGETARISANISM IS NOT JUST A 'DIETARY' HABIT - it is part of a whole way of Living or Life ! Think about the big picture ! Mother Teresa is a Christian missionary!i do not know if Mother Teresa WAS A VEGETARIAN ... - the Bible Does not condemn meat eating ! but , Mother Teresa was the most compassionate human being - she saved thousands and thousands of dying lepers in the streets of Calcutta and showed them a decent way of living , while many of the other so called Hindu brothers looked on helplessly saying that these 'lepers' are paying for their bad karma . Hupa-ji , there is a world of difference between a spiritually enlightened person and a religious Fanatic . In the name of Religion, brothers kill brothers and fundamentalists call it 'Jihad ' - Dear Hupa-ji - that is the lesser Jihad -but the greater Jihad is the inner struggle against the inner enemies', the Seven Deadly Sins ( lust, greed, anger, jealousy, sloth, covetousness & gluttony). Hupa-ji , when one is on the Path of Love, one develops understanding and compassion not just for Animals and Humans but Love for all of Life including Plants , Trees etc ... Love for the environment and the Ecology . Rupa-ji, you took Gandhiji's name while discussing 'Ahimsa'? Did you know that it was Gandhiji who said 'True ahimsa should mean a complete freedom from ill-will and anger and hate and an overflowing love for all. " Love is the best Religion. A loving person is kind , understanding , compassionate and is truly spiritual. May i share this verse from IBNJ ARABI , THE SUFI POET PHILOSOPHER ? " My heart has become capable of every form: it is a pasture for gazelles and a convent for Christian monks, And a temple for idols, and the pilgrim's Ka'ba, and the tables of the Tora and the book of the Koran. I follow the religion of Love, whichever way his camels take. My religion and my faith is the true religion. " Sadaji is right ! Everything is a gift from God - our very own existence on this planet - we have to thank the higer power for the very 'air' we breathe! thank you ! > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 11, 2007 Report Share Posted June 11, 2007 advaitin , " dhyanasaraswati " <dhyanasaraswati wrote: > > Hupa-ji: > > > > ! Everything is a gift from God - our very own > existence on this planet - we have to thank the higer power for the > very 'air' we breathe! > > thank you ! > > > > > > > Namste: In my view, polluting and/or not taking the responsibility for creating such pollution should be regarded as " hi.msaa " , as that would be purposely inflecting pain and suffering on other beings. Regards, Dr. Yadu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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