6

Is there a way to make committing violence impossible?

Can someone do something so that it will be impossible (or at least very difficult) for him to commit any violence in any corner of the world?

2
  • This is a nice and a fundamental question.It is said that you should not do to others what you don't want others to do to you.Even one single act of violence one commits, by virtue of the laws of karma, initiates an infinite chain of violence.So to stop violence entirely no one(absolutely no one i mean)should commit any violence.But that does not seem realistic.
    – Rickross
    Commented Mar 7, 2016 at 5:44
  • 1
    It is impossible to live absolutely without violence because even the very act of breathing and just being causes the death of several micro-organisms. However, living according to the diktats of dharma prescribed for one's varna and asrama ensures balance. Sanyasa exempts from and absolves one of karma. This is the only way.
    – user1195
    Commented Mar 7, 2016 at 13:50

1 Answer 1

8

Yes, it's quite possible to live whole life without violence.

Probably you meant only "killing", but you generalized it as "violence". The word "violence" is a kind of "violation". According to Mahatma Gandhi, "Violence" can be done using words, thoughts, actions as well.
"killing" is just an act, while "violence" is a state of the act. "Rightful killing" is not "violence", while "Wrongful word" is "violence".

"Natural act" is not violence. In case of war, it's natural for people to kill each other, that's why it is War. That's not violence. But when there are riots, people harm/kill others by violating law of land. That is violence. From Gita, Krishna says:

[BG 18.47] — Defective (faulty) Swa Dharma is better than well performed Para Dharma; Naturally prescribed performance of Karma never achieves sinful reactions.

[BG 18.48] — O son of Kunti, trivial(natural) Karma should never be given up even though (they are) defective; All initiations (of Karma) are defective, like how smoke covers the fire.

Every actions have faults in it. With that they all will become sinful! But our concern should be not to be bound by such sinful reactions. That happens when we act in Swa Dharma, i.e. acting naturally. That is also called SAtvika way of life. That is better than RAjasika and TAmasika ways. However, everyone has all these 3 gunas more or less.

Killing can be SAtvika at times, because it's not always equated with "violence". Violence is sinful and is never prescribed.
But imagine, can we live the way we do without killing insects and bacteria or other harmful living beings, even though they are humans. According to vedic injunctions, below are the instances when there is no sin in killing such person; i.e. "killing" such entity is not considered "violence":

  1. one who gives poison
  2. one who sets fire to the house
  3. one who attacks with deadly weapons
  4. one who plunders riches
  5. one who occupies another’s land
  6. one who kidnaps a wife

When person doesn't act because he/she perceives it to be painful then it's a wrongful abandonment of Karma which is RAjasika. It's never auspicious:

[BG 18.8] Thinking all Karmas to be painful, if they are abandoned with fear of bodily pain, then it is RAjasika abandonment; One never attains the (proper) fruit of such sacrifice.

In your case, you may think of committing least violence by neither doing yourself nor entertaining others who do (i.e. least purchase of animal products). If anyhow the killing is required (e.g cutting trees), then try to give back to nature by either preserving them or growing them.

1
  • 1
    Even during riots, it is one's swadharma to protect oneself and one's family even if it looks like "violence" against the offender to outsiders. Commented May 6, 2016 at 2:46

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .