Non-harming is an ongoing process of simply regulating our thoughts, words, and
intentions to create benefit, rather than harm for ourselves, and others.
Non-harming is the umbrella under which many virtues, such as non-violence, peace, acceptance, truth, humility,
mercy, and forgiveness flourish. Since ‘Non-harming’ is an ongoing endeavor, it calls
for one to conduct all matters, grand and public, or small and domestic, to be attended
to in accordance with the laws of nature of cooperation, compassion, and harmony.
Non-violence is the law of the human race and is infinitely greater than and
superior to brute force. The spirit lies dormant in the brute and he knows no law
but that of physical might. The dignity of man requires obedience to a higher
law-to the strength of the spirit....
The rishis who discovered the law of non-harming in the midst of violence, apathy, and aversion were
greater geniuses than Newton. They were themselves masters in the use of arms,
but quickly realized their uselessness, and taught a weary world that its salvation lay
not through harm and violence but through love and sacrifice.1
So where do we practice the art of ‘Non-harming’’?
Each day, grounded in our daily
interactions with others, we have the ability to encourage non violence,
humility, and forgiveness, while reducing, ill will, hostility, and aggression.
2
Gandhi once told Life Magazine and I quote,
I learnt the lesson of non-harm from my wife, when I tried to bend her to
my will. Her determined resistance to my will, on the one hand, and her quiet
submission to the suffering my stupidity involved, on the other, ultimately
made me ashamed of myself and cured me of my stupidity in thinking that I was
born to rule over her and, in the end, she became my teacher in non-violence.
Why does the world refrain from the practice of non-harming
The attributes of non-harming avails one the full protection to self-respect but
not to accumulation of wealth, might, pomp, and pride. And since this world has bound itself together
by the thread of shame, people have begun worshiping materialism more than spiritualism, as a result,
good is travelling at the pace of a snail.
The cultivation of this compassionate nature requires that one throw themselves
solely onto the mercy of the higher morality which governs us all.
But then treading this path my friends requires a great degree of faith which the common
folk are subtely discouraged in acquainting oneself with. It is vehermently reiterated to us that
this is the way of the foolish and in order to ensure that this manipulation is deeply ingrained throughout the psyche,
our every revolt against love and compassion is applauded in the name of individualism and valour.
We do not realize that whenever we succumb under the preassure of our anxious bundle of
nerves to rely on our own tiny might than on faith, forgiveness, and mercy we seperate
instead of unite, degrade than rather elevate.
It is not so much as to what we are doing, but how we are doing it and one of the
most important things to remember is that non-violence is about action, not inaction. When we do
not demand or expect that events happen as we would wish them to but accept
as they actually happen and are; then Non-harming is possible.2
Hence, acceptance is the first aware insight one must shed light upon.
When you set sail towards non-violence do not expect that the journey will be one of calm sailing, no. There
will be continous risk of running aground in these subjectively unchartered waters. As a result, use of discretion
will be needed.
Non-Harming Related Motivations
Acceptance
Acceptance can only be rightfully exercised when one comes into contact
with a person towards whom one is having or showing a dislike or
distrust that is derived from prejudice. As a result, one of the
main attributes of acceptance is humility. There can
be no acceptance where there is no humility.
Discretion
The ability to avoid words, actions, and attitudes which could result in undesirable consequences.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness stands between illusions and the truth; between the world
you see and that which lies beyond; between the hell of guilt and
heavens gate.3
Forgiveness is a difficult concept to grasp for many. Saying “I forgive you.” and
moving on is not forgiveness because forgiveness is hardly between
you and the subject or person in matter.
Forgiveness is an ongoing work. Hard work, of recording whenever the feelings of
ill-will, disdain, and aggression arise under its many guises. Sometimes you
won’t even know that the obstructive emotion percolating is in relation to a
particular person or transgression until at later date. That is why the scientific
recording and analysis of thoughts, feelings, and intent is so important, and
this is where this software comes to your aid as a blessing - a true tool of
spiritual science.
So forgiving someone does not mean that you will stop feeling the rage, resentment, bitterness
and the seething vindictive intentions, which come with a heart that is hurt. They will
be there. It always has, even before the incident which now cause you such anguish.
Forgiving someone or something else is learning to love yourself. Yes. It is
birth of love and as all birth it will hurt in the beginning and there will be tears.
Soon the pain and tears will be transformed into insight and clarity. And as your
clarity deepens there will emerge tranquility and this peace of mind is love.
So in the end, forgiving someone else is learning to love yourself. It is the birth
of just one of your soul mates.
Mercy
Mercy is the power exercised by one who is in a position to rightfully, under
the law and order of the day, able to punish, but chooses to
exercise the liberty of compassion.
Non Stealing
Not taking by capricious means. This begins first in mind. We need to track in thought, "Am I being lazy
at work, thus stealing time from my employer." Am I being idle at home and using time available to me in
idle pursuit and listless entertainement, thus stealing time from evolution. Am I denying someone their right,
thus robbing them off their freedom.
Nonviolence
Non-violence is passive resistance to evil by love, spiritual force,
and reason, rather, than the use of physical force or emotional violence.
Non-violence is the basis of the search for truth. This search is vain, unless
it is founded on principles of non-harming as its foundation. Truth and nonviolence are as old as the hills.
For nonviolence to be strong and effective, it must begin with the self, without
which it will be nonviolence of the weak and cowardly. A coward is a person who
lacks courage when facing a dangerous and unpleasant situation and tries to avoid it.
A man cannot practice ahimsa and at the same time be a coward. True nonviolence is
dissociated from fear. Gandhi felt that possession of arms is not only cowardice
but also lack of fearlessness or courage. Gandhi stressed this when he said; “I can
imagine a fully armed man to be at heart a coward. Possession of arms implies an
element of fear, if not cowardice but true nonviolence is impossibility without the
possession of unadulterated fearlessness.” In the face of violence and injustice,
Gandhi considered violent resistance preferable to cowardly submission. There is hope
that a violent man may someday be nonviolent, but there is no room for a coward to develop fearlessness.
Truth
Truth is only valid if lived. It has no use in books and debates. Truth is an
endevour which is strived for by an individual through a sincere effort in practice
of a principle which demonstrates not a hint of self-interest.
In such selfless search for Truth nobody can lose his bearings for long. Directly he takes to
the wrong path he stumbles, and is thus redirected to the right path. Therefore the pursuit
of Truth is true bhakti (devotion). It is the path that leads to God. There is no place in
it for cowardice, no place for defeat. It is the talisman by which death
itself becomes the portal to life eternal.3