60
Non-Violence
take baths, drink it and wash clothes etc.
Protecting Life-Forms from Fear - The Highest Charity
Questioner: So why is there such a great emphasis on
protecting life-forms from fear?
Dadashri: Many who understand non-violence have
emphasized the need to protect life- forms from fear. The main
thing is to protect life-forms from fear. What does this mean? An
example of this would be to be careful not to disturb any birds if
they were sitting here, by walking very quietly. Another example
would be to remove your shoes and tiptoe past a sleeping dog.
How can you be considered humane if you instill fear in others?
One should not even startle stray dogs. Understand that you
have failed to protect a dog from fear if it is stirred from its sleep
as you are walking by. Protecting living things from fear means
that no living entity fears your presence. Have you ever seen
anyone with such a quality? Protecting life from fear is the highest
charity of all.
When I was twenty-two years old, I used to be very
cautious so as not to startle any sleeping dogs. I am constantly
protecting all life from fear and if a person learns to do the same,
he would attain liberation. Generally people are inclined to instill
fear in others and threaten them. Everybody has learnt how to
donate fear. No one has learnt how to donate protection from
fear.
Questioner: Is making an effort to save these life-forms
not considered protecting them from fear?
Dadashri: There is a tremendous liability for anyone that
does this, because it is nothing but egoism. The Lord has only
said that one should practice kindness towards one’s own self.
The scriptures mention just this much and no other forms of
kindness. And if you take on the task of practicing any other forms
of kindness unnecessarily, you will incur a liability.