Hari Om
~~~~~
Namaste,
The last two posts offered some ideas on satya and aparigraha¹. I thought to continue to discuss the 5 yamas called out by Patañjali. For this post ahiṁsā, the first yama/restraint (or vrata) is discussed.
This ahiṁsā अहिंसा we know as non-injury. Some call this non-violence. This infers to all beings ( even ourselves). At the ultimate level this ahiṁsā when in full bloom brings no harm in thought, deed, word or action. This observance is substantial -to bring no harm to any being.
What of swatting a fly? Or a mosquito? Some even argue , what of bacteria, or the insect world so small that when you walk or drive one brings death to these creatures. It seems to be easier not to bring violence to another person, as it's more overt. Yet the notion here is to do the least harm while on this earth.
What to say then of ones diet? for the sadhu pursuing a spiritual path eating meat, flesh, foul and eggs must be considered to be withdrawn from ones diet. In the Mahabharata¹ Yudhishtrhira asks Bhishma a few questions and says, You ( Bhishma) have informed me many times that the abstention from injury is the highest religion. Yet in sraddhas, however, that are performed in honour of the Pitris, persons make offerings of diverse kinds of meat. Yudhishtrhira then asks:
- How can meat be procured without slaying a living creature?
- What are the faults one incurs by eating meat?
- What are the demerits one incurs who eats meat by killing a living creature? Or of him who eats meat buying it from others?
Bhishma says, Listen to me O' scion of the Kuru race, what the merit is that attaches to the abstention from meat.
- Those high souled persons who desire beauty, faultlessness of limbs, long life, understanding, mental and physical strength, and memory should abstain from acts of injury.
- The merit by a person with steadfastness of vow adores the deities every month in horse sacrifices¹ is equal to him that discards honey and meat.
- The seven rishis, the Valakhilyasm and the rishis that drink the rays of the sun applaud the abstention from meat.
- Bishma continues and says, Narada muni has said that the man who wishes to increase his own flesh by eating the flesh of other creatures meets with calamity.
- The man who has eaten meat then gives it up acquires merit by such an act that is so great that a study of all the vedas or a performance of all the sacrifices cannot bestow its like ( or its equal).
- The period of life is shortened of persons who slaughter living creatures or cause them to be slaughtered ( i.e. demand for meat).
- One should never eat meat of animals not dedicated in sacrifices and that are slain for no reason.
I thought those were the interesting parts relevent to this post.
Svami Laksmanjoo offers his observations on this ahiṁsā. He says one who maintains this non-violence, this non-injury influences his enemies by this state of being be non-violent. Yet he cautions the sadhu to avoid those conditions that put him/her in the company of those that choose this life style. He quotes Tantraloka as an example, it says Even if you are not a thief and yet you associate with thieves you are also considered to be a thief.
What then are the benefits of practicing ahiṁsā to the fullest? Chapter 2 sutra 35 of the Yoga Sutras says the followng:
ahimsa-pratisthayam tat-samnidhau vaira-tyagah
ahiṁsā - as mentioned above, non-violence, non-injury
ratishayam- to stand firm as the remedy
tat - thus, in this way
vaira: hostility or inimical , revengeful
samnidhau - presence. nearness, close proximity
tyagah- leaving behind; to abandon
Three views are offered
Version 1
By establishing a firm alignment (pratishayam) in ahimsa (non-violence or non-harm), then that presence (samnidhau) will leave behind (tyagah) harm (or hostility) and disease (vaira).
Version 2
As the yogin becomes established (pratishayam) in ahiṁsā all beings coming near (samnidhau) (to him/her) cease (tyagah) to be vaira (hostile)
Version 3
No power on earth can make two mutual enemies enter into combat in the presence of him, who being established in ahiṁsā, does not harm anyone.
pranams
1. Words Used
- aparigraha is to back-away from and release (from the behavior of, since it is a yama) of grasping, binding and seizing. Therefore apaigraha is a most descriptive term for the absence of hoarding. Some people in the West call this avarice or being greedy and covetous.
- Satya सत्य is true , real , actual , genuine , sincere , honest , truthful , faithful , pure , virtuous , Reality.
- Mahabharata - Anusasana Parva, section CXV ( or section 115).
- Bhishma भीष्म - when born was given the name Devavrata. for more on Bhishma, see the following HDF post: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=15089&postcount=2
- This post is offered by syvedi40 on why the name Bhishma ( meaning terrible , dreadful) was given http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=21512&postcount=8
- The bhAghavataM says that there are only twelve men in the whole world who know the ins and outs of dharma in all its subtlety. These twelve are: BrahmA the Creator, Narada the roving sage, Lord Siva, Lord SubrahmaNya, the sage Kapila, Manu the law-giver, the boy-devotee Prahlada, King Janaka, Bhishma; King Bali, the boy-sage Suka - the reciter of the bhAgavatam and Yama, the Lord of Death and Dispenser of Justice.
- Thus Bhishma happens to be one of the twelve most knowledgeable people on dharma. It was fitting therefore that when Yudhishtira, at the end of the mahA-bhArata war wanted to know all the subtleties of all the different types of dharma, he was asked to go to Bhishma by Lord Krishna Himself.
- Yudhishtrhira was the eldest Pandava. His name means yudhi or 'in battle' + sthira or 'steady, calm, unperturbed'; so Yudhishtrhira is he that is steady or unperturbed in battle.
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