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Ahimsa paramo dharma ~ Non-violence is the highest dharma. Thus says the Mahabharata, and almost all legitimate spiritual masters that have ever walked this Earth. The principle of non-violence is supremely important, albeit in different ways, at both the beginning and the end of the path.
Firstly, we cannot even begin walking the spiritual path, and particularly the Path of Lord Dattatreya, whilst we are still acting in a way that is consciously or unconsciously violent. To start walking the Datta path, we must first and foremost take a firm stance of non-violence towards all aspects of sentient and insentient life. We should engage in no thought, word or deed that harms other beings.
Non-violence is not any kind of ‘beginner practice’ that is reserved for inexperienced practitioners. Being absolutely non-violent is actually the greatest spiritual achievement, because when all violence is eliminated from our space of being, then only unconditional love remains. This is the state of the avadhuta, who doesn’t engage in love, but is simply love itself.
Violence is not just a surface-level, physical or verbal phenomenon. The original violence within this realm of existence is the very perception of separation that causes us to feel like an individual being living in a world of others. This perception of separation is the very root of all subtle and gross acts of violence. Violence is the expression of perceiving separation. Non-violence is the expression of perceiving unity. Thus, only when the perception of separation is eradicated, can we become absolutely and perfectly non-violent.
So, ultimately, what does the term ‘non-violence’ mean? It means to consistently act in a way that affirms the perspective of unity, and to constantly be observant of all of the subtle ways that we may be giving expression to the perception of separation. We cannot erase such habits of violent action overnight, but the act of bringing awareness to these habits will gradually help them to be eroded and dissolved with time.
Because the final goal of the Datta path is full establishment in unity consciousness – the state of perfect enlightenment where all karmic traces that would precipitate an earthly rebirth are fully dissolved – we see the ideal conduct and action of a practitioner within this path as that which consistently supports the view of perfect non-dual unity.
Eventually, this ‘conduct’ should manifest in the form of selfless service, of actually doing something creative to benefit others without any sense of ownership or expectation. However, at the beginning, before we launch into many diverse charitable activities, we should first begin to clear up any of our habits that may directly or indirectly harm others.
To take a non-violent stance in life, and further to become a true embodiment of non-violence, is a service in and of itself. When we meet a true practitioner of non-violence, a being who is completely happy to leave the world and others alone, yet who is always happy to help those are in need – when we meet such a being, we will actually feel uplifted and soothed by their presence. They may not try to give us any gifts or shower us with compliments, but the stability of their presence itself will be feel like a gift and a blessing. Thus it is with advanced practitioners and masters within the Datta Tradition – they benefit others effortlessly and spontaneously.
All real spiritual practices must have a certain degree of conscious awareness as their basis – in order to activate them. To begin cultivating the attitude of non-violence, we must first see where we are already manifesting ourselves in a violent mode. As implied above, outside of avadhutas, there is real no such a thing in this world as a 100% non-violent human being. Even if we become extremely saintly in our thoughts, words and actions – as long as we still perceive separation, as long as we still perceives ourselves as subjects in a world of objects – then traces of violence will still remain with us.
Therefore, the best method to see where violence still exists within our space, is to observe ourselves on the levels of thought, word and action. Action, being the grossest and most extroverted of these three modes of expression, is the easiest to refine initially. Simply, through the physical activities of our body, we should ensure that we do not harm anybody. So, this means that we should not beat, abuse, bind or prevent others from living dignified, healthy lives. And this same principle also applies to animals – we should not engage in or support any activities where animals are murdered, abused, traumatised, bound or intimidated. Simply, by ensuring that our lives are non-violent on the basic level of our gross physical existence, we can start building a firm foundation for the further subtler cultivation of non-violence.
After bringing the principle of non-violence to perfection within the realm of action, we should also seek to remove all traces of violence from our speech. This means that we do not curse, verbally abuse or gossip about other people. This is not to say that we cannot defend and stand up for ourselves at the appropriate time, but rather we should never actively attack or seek to hurt or bring somebody down through our words. Like all acts of violence, such acts actually recoil back to us on a karmic level even if we do not instantly perceive it. To hurts others is truly to hurt ourselves.
Finally, to become non-violent on the level of thought doesn’t just mean to wish others ill within our minds; it also means that we hold no desire that involves imposing anything on anyone or interfering with the lives of others in any way whatsoever. Even to hold the view that other people should think, feel or perceive like us – this is violence. On the level of thought, we should actually have nothing to do with anybody whatsoever. If people reach out to us for help, or people ask for our advice, then we should do our best to assist them, but otherwise we should learn, if we wish to practise non-violence properly, to let other people be as they are. If we can allow others the total freedom to be how they are, then when those people come around us they will feel that sense of freedom and may slip into a deeper sense of ease and openness in our presence.
It is unavoidable to think about others whilst we still think of ourselves as being a separate individual being. Thus, non-violence can only be truly perfected when we forget ourselves as we have always imagined ourselves to be. When this happens and we come to realise the truth of our real non-dual nature, then the illusory veil of separation will be rent asunder and non-violence will cease to be a practice – it will then simply be what we are as the reality of the unconditional love that life has for itself.
Written by Jack Barratt
© MyDattatreya 2021 All rights reserved
Designed by Tamara Lj.