Non-Violence in Sino-Indian Culture
Tan Yun Shan
If the question be asked “What is the main thing in common between India and China?”, I would answer, it is our common culture. If it be further asked: “What are the chief characteristics of this common Indian and Chinese culture?” My unhesitating answer would be, it is Ahimsa. Hence the title of this article: “Ahimsa in Sino-Indian Culture”.
“Sino-Indian Culture" is a new term coined by myself about fifteen years ago. It has come into current use since the foundation of the Sino-Indian Cultural Society in both the countries, India and China, in 1934 and 1935 respectively.
Culture, in my humble opinion and to put it in a very simple way, is the cultivation of the whole of human life, and not only of the spiritual side of civilization as is usually regarded. It is the compass, as well as the pilot, of the progress of human society. It gives significance to human life and distinguishes human life from that of plants and animals. It helps man to realise at the first stage the real meaning and value of life, and ultimately to reach its real goal, in which alone there is eternal peace, love, joy, freedom and blessing. In this respect, there is not only much similarity but much identity between the culture of India and that of China. The most striking feature and analogy of these two cultures is the spirit of Ahimsa.
Ahimsa is a word negative in form but with a positive sense. Mahatma Gandhi translated it into English as Non-violence. The ancient Chinese Buddhist scholars translated it into Chinese as “Pu-Hai” meaning Non-Hurting. Its positive form is “love”, “Universal Love”. That is “Maitri”, in Sanskrit, “Jen”, in Chinese. These couple of words, Ahimsa and Maitri, or Non-Violence and Universal Love, or Pu-hai and Jen, were both married. And they could never and would never be divorced or separated. They always carry the same message and disseminate the same gospel together. But the Chinese prefer to use the positive form rather than the negative, while Indians on the other hand prefer to use the negative one. Therefore the Chinese and the Indians have also become an unseparated couple in culture.
Why was the negative word preferred by the Indians? Gandhi once explained this by saying: “All life in the flesh exists by some violence. Hence, the highest religion has been defined by a negative word, Ahimsa. The world is bound in a chain of destruction. In other words, violence is an inherent necessity for life in the body. That is why a votary of Ahimsa always prays for ultimate deliverance from the bondage of flesh.”
The Chinese sage, Mencius, put it another way. He said
“Men must be decided on what they will not do, and then they are able to act with vigour in what they ought to do.”
If a man wants to do things good, he must first not do things evil. So also if a man wants to love people and other beings, he must first not hurt them. If a man preaches Love or Maitri or Jen but does not practice Ahimsa, or Non-violence or Pu-Hai, then his Love is no reality. It is merely a false expression or hypocrisy. Therefore almost all the great religions in the world uphold a set of precepts to govern the acts of their followers.
Ahimsa in Sino-Indian culture is not only a very prominent feature but also an ancient tradition. It is as ancient as the culture itself. Or as Gandhiji said “Truth and Non-Violence are as old as the hills.”
In India, Ahimsa is one of the most cardinal virtues and doctrines of almost all the religions and philosophical sects. It had been repeatedly taught and expressly stated by the Rishis in the ancient scriptures such as the Aitareya Brahmana, the Sataputha Brahamana, the Chandogya Upanishad, the Vamana Purana and Manu’s Book of Law. Therefore it was thus declared in the Mahabharata: “Ahimsa is the supreme religion” And Gandhiji did recite the same words on several occasions.
But the gospel of Ahimsa was first deeply and systematically expounded and properly and specially preached by the Jain Tirthankars, most prominently by the 24th Tirthankara, the last one, Mahavira Vardhamana. Then again by Lord Buddha. And at last it was embodied in the thoughts, words and deeds and symbolized by the very life of Mahatma Gandhi.
As Ahimsa is one of the cardinal virtues and doctrines of almost all the philosophical and religious systems in India, so also it is in China. The only difference is, as mentioned above that instead of using the negative word Ahimsa, the Chinese preferred to use the positive word Jen.
Jen has a vast volume of meanings and a lot of diversities of interpretation. Different scholars of different schools have explained it at different times. Even the greatest saint of China, Confucius, gave it a good many different explanations to different persons on different occasions. Once asked by his disciple named Fan-Chieh: What about Jena? The master said: “It is to love all people.” At another time asked by another disciple called Yen-Yuan, about the same, he said: “To subdue one’s self and return to propriety ; this is Jen.” Again answering the same question asked by another disciple, named Chung-Kung, the Master said: “Don’t do to others what you would not wish done to yourself.”
Again at another time another disciple, called Tzu-chang, asked the Master about the same topic, and he answered saying: “To be able to practice five things everywhere under heaven constitutes Jen.” When asked what they were, the Master said “Gravity, generosity, sincerity, earnestness and kindness”.
In Yi-Ching, the Book of Change (the Vedas of China). It has been said: “the superior gentlemen realized in the virtue of Jen will nurture people… The great virtue of Heaven and Earth is life. The great jewel of the saint is his position. How to maintain his position? It is by Jen.”
This Gospel of Jen was first properly taught and preached in China about twenty-five centuries ago by the greatest Chinese saint Confucius (551 - 479 BCE) Then again it was more profoundly and systematically expounded and disseminated by the great Chinese sage Mencius (372 - 289 BCE) Afterwards almost all the classical scholars of all the dynasties of China’s long history cherished, promoted and propagated the same message, but explained and interpreted it according to their own ways. In modern times, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, the Father of the Chinese Republic , had scientifically explained the lofty ideal of Jen in his San Min Chu Yi, the Three People’s Principles, for his national movement of Chinese emancipation and the renaissance of Chinese culture.
In India, Mahavira Jaina and Sakyamuni Buddha preached almost the same gospel in the same way. The fundamental principles and teachings of both of them, such as the ‘Pancha Silani’ or the five rules are nearly the same. Those of Buddha are: first, non-killing; second, non-stealing; third, non-adultery; fourth, non-lying; and fifth, non-drinking. And those of Jain are: first, speaking the truth; second, living a pure and poor-life; third non-killing; fourth, non-stealing and fifth, observing chastity.
But the most striking feature of the two religions is the same teaching, the same gospel of Ahimsa in both its positive and negative senses; in its negative sense of “absolute and perfect harmlessness towards all living beings”, and its positive sense of “absolute and eternal happiness for all living beings.”
As Love is the indissoluble partner of Ahimsa as stated before, Truth is another inseparable companion of Ahimsa. Ahimsa, Love and Truth are the trinity of One which we may call the Supreme, or God, or Heaven or Brahma, or any other name we like. In carrying out their mission, this Trinity have, again, a number of allies or comrades such as charity, sacrifice, selflessness, fearlessness, forgiveness etc.
From what has been said above, we can have an outline of the spirit of Ahimsa in Sino-Indian Culture. The facts related and the passages quoted are only those which came readily to my mind and were easily available. Similar facts and passages of the same kind are too numerous in Chinese and Indian literature and scriptures to be quoted in full. It is even difficult to make the best adequate selection of them. These facts and passages were not merely religious ideals or ethical principles but actual and real events in history. Looking over the histories of India and China, from the very beginning to the present day, these two countries have never attacked or invaded any other country, never exploited any other people, though they have often been attacked, invaded and exploited by other warlike peoples. But those who invaded India and China were often assimilated and absorbed by Indian and Chinese cultures, and have enjoyed with the Indian and Chinese people their national wealth and harmony of life.
It has been therefore my firm belief, and also my humble mission, that we Chinese and Indians, the two greatest peoples of the world, should culturally join together and mingle together to create, to establish and promote a common culture, called Sino-Indian Culture, entirely based on Ahimsa. By creating, establishing and promoting this common Sino-Indian Culture, we shall further create, establish and promote a common World Culture on the same basis. By creating, establishing and promoting a common World Culture, we shall create and establish a great union of the World. And by creating and establishing a great Union of the World, we shall lead the world to real and permanent peace, love, harmony and happiness.