The Buddha is the Greastest Exponent of Non-Violence

http://Buddhism.2be.net/The_Buddha_is_the_Greastest_Exponent_of_Non-Violence

From Buddhist Encyclopedia

• From a chapter in the book - The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived by Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thero

The Buddha, when he converted a non-Buddhist, got the convert to promise five things. These five promises are called ‘Panca Sila’ (The five Precepts).

The first promise of these five is that 'I promise not to kill any living being.' This indicates that the primary quality a Buddhist should possess is non-violence. The Buddha denounced all forms of violence. The Buddha asked loving-kindness to be extended not only to men, but even to all animals.

[[Sabbe tasanti dandassa

Sabbe bhayanti maccuno

Attanam upamam katva

Na-haneyya naghataye.]]

All are frightened of punishment. All dread death. Therefore, since one is frightened of punishment and death, taking one’s own self as the example, refrain from killing others. You must not destroy.

[[Sabbe tasanti dandassa

Sabbe bhayanti maccuno

Attanam upamam katva

Na-haneyya naghataye.]]

All are frightened of punishment. All love life. Therefore, since one is frightened of punishment and death, taking one’s own self as the example, refrain from killing others. You must not destroy. Only the Buddha and Mahavira showed kindness to animals. Other religious leaders did not. Those religious leaders encouraged the killing and eating of animals. In consequence, those other religious teachers will not receive the respect of animals.

Mahavira went beyond the extremes of non-violence. His main Doctrine is non-violence. He thought even water had life. He considers the sailing of ships and canoes suppressing water, as a sin. Since minor insects get killed when we breathe in and breathe out, he suggested that we should cover our nose and mouth with a piece of cloth. He does not even approve of ‘tikotiparisuddha mamsa’ (flesh that is harmless in three ways) which has been allowed by the Buddha.

As a result o f this, no follower of Jainism takes meat or fish. Due to this extreme non-violence, Jainism became a difficult religion to practise. Jainism never spread outside India. Since insects get killed even in the cultivation process, the Jains do not indulge in any other industries or crafts, than trade.

The Buddha’s Teaching is the middle-path. Therefore, he gave up extreme. In consequence, is system can be followed by any citizen anywhere since it is not an extreme position. The Buddha considered the life of any being – whether friendly or unfriendly, big or small, known or unknown, seen or unseen – as being dear to that particular being. In extending loving – kindness, he included all beings of all levels.

[[Apadakehi mama mettam

Mattam divipadakehi me

Chatuppadehi me mettam

Mettam bahuppadei me]].

I extend my loving-kindness to touch beings as serpents that have no feet. I extend my loving-kindness to beings with two feet. I extend my loving-kindness to such beings as centipedes that have many feet.

[[Sabbe satta sabbe pana

Sabba bhuta ca kavala

Sabba bhadrani passantu

Ma kanci papa magama]].

May all beings, may all those possessing life, may all sentient brings see only good. May no evil come to them.

This way, the Buddha taught the people to extend loving-kindness to all. There is not even a stray reference in his Teachings that is likely to cause any pain or harm or loss to anyone. There is not even a reference that is likely to create such a harm, even remotely.

In Kakacupama Sutta the Buddha states:

"O Monks, if ferocious bandits were to cut up a person into pieces with a two-handled saw, and if the person who is being cut up were to have an anger towards those bandits, then that person has not followed my Teaching. I Monks, even under such circumstances you must think this way: “Our mind never changes. We will not speak harsh words to them. We will pity them and extend loving-kindness to them. We will extend limitless compassion to the whole world that comes within the purview of our living-kindness. We will extend limitless non-hating compassion to them. O Monks, you must get used to thinking that way, even about an enemy."

(Kakacipama Sutta – Majjhima Nikaya)’’

The Buddha says, "If a person were to have anger, without extending loving-kindness, even towards the enemy who cut one’s body into pieces, that person has not followed the Word of the Buddha. He is not a person who believes in the Buddha ‘s advice."

A Buddhist gets no room from the Buddha’s Teachings to hurt, to torture, or to be unkind to anyone for any reason whatever. Therefore, the Buddha is the true exponent of non-violence. Among Buddhists who follow the Buddha genuinely, resentment, abuse or blood-shed. If these things occur in some groups, the implication is that they are not true Buddhists. The Buddha, who is the symbol of loving-kindness, is also the symbol of non-violence. A great emperor like Asoka who, after achieving conquests through wars, stopped waging war completely. Such righteous kings as Sirisangabo came into being. Such world-famous non-violent leaders as Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal nehru appeared.

The Buddha’s noble tradition of non-violence still continues uninterrupted. The concept of non-violence receives acceptance all over the world today.