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Thread: Pacifism?

  1. #1

    Pacifism?

    Hola Everyone,

    I am a Christian from the United States (Boston as of this exact moment!) and I recently finished reading the Baghavad Gita after talking to some followers of Sanatana Dharma on Christian Forums... now I have lots of questions!

    My first...and i usually ask every religion this is what is the place of pacifism in Sanatana Dharma? I know Ghandi was pacifist... i dont know what the justification is. If I could venture a guess I would say the first chapter of the Baghavagita sort of addressed this... the great reflection upon the nature and evil of war leads arjuna to throw down his weapons in the very first chapter... perhaps i misunderstood the message but is that not an endorsement for pacifism?

    This is what was on my mind:

    "driven by the desire to enjoy royal happyness we are intent on killing our own kinsmen better for me if the sons of dhrtarastra weapons in hand were to kill me unarmed and unresisting on the battlefield"

  2. #2
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    Post Re: Pacifism?

    Namaste Jayda,

    Sanatana Dharma has ten fundamental spiritual instructions, and the first rule is Ahimsa or “without harm”. The Bible has the same list of “ten commandments”, which are elaborated from the ancient code that was transmitted to Noah after the flood, as the basis for all civilized humanity.

    The fifth rule given to Noah was “shed no blood”, which is the sixth rule of Moses, commonly stated as “do not kill” or “do not murder”.

    The very first rule of Hinduism in practice is Ahimsa ~ i.e. to be “without harm” and “harmless”, or (positively expressed) “with love” and “kind”.

    The first chapter of Bhagavadgita assumes that one will also read the following chapters, and Shri Krishna’s very next words to Arjuna (who spoke the words you have quoted in total confusion and despair) were:

    “Arjuna, how has this infatuation overtaken you at this odd hour? It is shunned by noble souls; neither will it bring heaven nor fame to you.”

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