Guest guest Posted November 9, 1999 Report Share Posted November 9, 1999 Hi Harsha, >Sages tell us that Nonviolence is the supreme religion. Perfect >Self-Awareness is Ahimsa. Practice of nonviolence with awareness that the >same life resides everywhere purifies the mind and allows for a deep >relaxation at the mental, physical, and spiritual level. Then Grace >manifests as One's Own Self. I have seen ahimsa translated as nonviolence or as harmlessness. But I think it is more than just the absence of something... it must be a positive energy. But I can't find a word to express that. I think what you wrote does express ahimsa as something positive, though not in one word. Is there such a word? Is it the same energy as Peace? Or Love? Compassion? Love, Dharma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 9, 1999 Report Share Posted November 9, 1999 Sages tell us that Nonviolence is the supreme religion. Perfect Self-Awareness is Ahimsa. Practice of nonviolence with awareness that the same life resides everywhere purifies the mind and allows for a deep relaxation at the mental, physical, and spiritual level. Then Grace manifests as One's Own Self. As you all know, the foundation of this list is built on the Satsangha based on the philosophy of divine love and nonviolence. All discussions and conversations are in that context. In this world, where conflict, struggle, and wars have been the rule, there have been sages such as Mahavir who have explicitly stated that Non-violence is the cardinal principle to live by if one wants to give peace and attain peace. Buddha has emphasized compassion. In Hinduism, Ahimsa is considered the first principle of the spiritual life. Ramana Maharshi, the great sage of Arunachala has clearly stated, Ahimsa Param Dharma which means that nonviolence is the supreme religion. Nonviolence is the most beautiful expression and manifestation of the unconditioned recognition of the Nature of Reality. This is our conviction. This ideal is our aspiration. As many times as we fall, we get up and stand on the foundation of nonviolence as our nature. Love to all Harsha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 11, 1999 Report Share Posted November 11, 1999 Hi Jill, >>I have seen ahimsa translated as nonviolence or as harmlessness. But I >>think it is more than just the absence of something... it must be a >>positive energy. But I can't find a word to express that. >> >>I think what you wrote does express ahimsa as something positive, though >>not in one word. Is there such a word? Is it the same energy as Peace? >>Or Love? Compassion? >Gandhi coined the term "satyagraha". It's root meaning is "holding on to >truth", and by extension, resistance to non-violent means. "The immovable >force of satyagraha--suffering without retaliation", he says. Gandhiji's >writing speaks repeatedly of how we understand ahimsa as a positive, active >force: > >"Non-resistance is restraint voluntarily undertaken for the good of >society. It is, therefore, an intensely active, purifying, inward >force...It presupposes ability to offer physical resistance." Thanks for this! I'd like to ask those who read Sanskrit: is satyagraha the same thing as ahimsa? Love, Dharma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 11, 1999 Report Share Posted November 11, 1999 At 01:08 PM 11/9/99 -0500, Dharma wrote: >Dharma <fisher1 >I have seen ahimsa translated as nonviolence or as harmlessness. But I >think it is more than just the absence of something... it must be a >positive energy. But I can't find a word to express that. > >I think what you wrote does express ahimsa as something positive, though >not in one word. Is there such a word? Is it the same energy as Peace? >Or Love? Compassion? > >Love, >Dharma Hi Dharma, Gandhi coined the term "satyagraha". It's root meaning is "holding on to truth", and by extension, resistance to non-violent means. "The immovable force of satyagraha--suffering without retaliation", he says. Gandhiji's writing speaks repeatedly of how we understand ahimsa as a positive, active force: "Non-resistance is restraint voluntarily undertaken for the good of society. It is, therefore, an intensely active, purifying, inward force...It presupposes ability to offer physical resistance." "Non-violence is the greatest and most active force in the world. One cannot be passively non-violent...One person who can express ahimsa in life exercises a force superior to all the forces of brutality." "Where there is ahimsa there is Truth, and Truth is God. How He manifests Himself I cannot say. All I know is that He is all pervading and where He is, all is well." These quotes come from Thomas Merton's little book,_Gandhi on Non-Violence_, published by New Directions. Another good book on Gandhi's writing is _The Essential Writings of Mahatma Gandhi, by Raghavan Iyer. Want more? I could quote Gandhiji all day. Love, Jill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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