68
Non-Violence
and mosquitoes and use pesticides on their lawns and farms. How
will these people attain liberation?
Dadashri: Alas! Indian people commit even greater
violence. All day long they commit violence against the self by
their kashayas: anger, false pride, greed and illusion. This is called
intent-violence (bhaav himsa). This is subtle himsa.
Questioner: But the people in India are doing violence
only against their own Self, whereas in other countries they are
doing violence against other life-forms.
Dadashri: No. Indians do violence against everyone,
violence against whomever they come into contact with. Their
ways are devious and crooked. People in other countries are
happier. Westerners never have thoughts about hurting others;
they are very gracious and always willing to help whereas Indian
people are opportunistic; they will first analyze a situation to see
how they can benefit from it, and will only help others if there is
something in it for them.
All of India is guilty of intent-violence (bhaav-hinsa), which
in the eyes of the Lord is the gravest violence of all.
Questioner: But in India there is so much emphasis on
ahimsa.
Dadashri: Even so, Indians are the most violent, because
they bicker and quarrel all the time. Why is this? It is because they
have a greater awareness of the relative world. Their children on
the other hand do not have as much intent-violence because they
have started to eat meat. A non-vegetarian diet decreases
awareness and consequently does not cause as much intent-
violence. People with increased awareness commit tremendous
intent-violence. They bicker over very trivial things.
Intent is Independent: The Result is Not
Questioner: Nevertheless, these foreigners are doing