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Ahimsa a Way of Life; a Path to Peace by Dr center for indic studies Gandhi Lecture Series Ahimsa A Way Of Life; A Path To Peace by Dr. Hope K. Fitz / Fall 2007 Gandhi Lecture Series Mahatma Gandhi’s Ahimsa – an integral part of Indic Studies mission The Center for Indic Studies at UMass Dart- ues. While he practiced Satya and Ahimsa in the mouth exists to recognize India’s ancient civilization pursuit of India’s independence, the influence of and to highlight India’s contribution to the rest of Gandhi and his followers has extended far beyond the world. That contribution has been substantial in that country. In many instances, that which is con- many fields, including, but not limited to, spiritual- sidered “Indic” is embodied by Gandhi’s words and ism, philosophy, language, science, mathematics, deeds. astronomy, and statesmanship. The concept of Ahimsa was the focus of the No one reflects or symbolizes the influence of stirring presentation in the fall of ‘07 by Dr. Hope India more than Mahatma Gandhi, unequalled for Fitz, an accomplished philosophy scholar and an his impact on humankind. His message has been avid believer in Gandhi’s philosophy. In the inaugu- profound and enduring, and relates to each of the ral Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Lecture, sponsored areas of interest of the Center for Indic Studies. Thus by the Center, Dr. Fitz urged those of Indian origin it was appropriate that the center was launched on to spread the Ahimsa philosophy throughout the October 6, 2001, in commemoration of the Mahat- world. In that way, the worldwide community will ma Gandhi’s 100th birthday on October 2. see the importance and value of Ahimsa, and un- Gandhi preached Satya–truth–and Ahim- derstand how society is best served by the practice sa–non-violence–and his life honored these val- of Ahimsa. The Mahatma Gandhi Lecture Series was initi- ated in 2006 to preserve and honor Gandhi’s legacy through academic discourse on the UMass Dart- mouth campus. We expect to accelerate our efforts in the future, and hope to receive support from more scholars such as Professor Hope. Bal Ram Singh Director, Center for Indic Studies University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Center for Indic Studies Ahimsa: A Way Of Life; A Path To Peace Dr. Hope K. Fitz Professor of Philosophy, Eastern Connecticut State University The first lecture of the Gandhi Lecture Series at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth was given last fall by Dr.Hope K. Fitz, Professor of Philosophy at the Eastern Connecticut State University. Dr. Fitz’s lecture reprinted here, centered on the principles of Ahimsa as a Way of Life. As Mahatma Gandhi used the term, Ahimsa, meant non harm by thought, word or deed to any living being and the greatest Thus, in the summer of 2006, she was in India for love or compassion for all living creatures. two months studying the Jain tradition. The study Dr. Fitz’s book, Intuition: Its Nature and involved travel to nine cities on the West Coast of Uses in Human Experience, is in its second print- India. Also, for three weeks following the summer ing. She is presently writing the first of four volumes school, she gave eight talks on Ahimsa: a Way of having to do with Ahimsa: a Way of Life (Basically Life in Mumbai (Bombay), Ahmadabad and New ahimsa means non-harm and compassion.) She also Delhi. The talks were sponsored by Mr. R. P. Jain, one has numerous articles published in scholarly journals. of the owners of the publishing firm, Motilal Banar- Three of the articles appear in anthologies. These arti- sidass, which published Dr. Fitz’s book on intuition. cles include both western and nonwestern topics such In addition to her teaching and scholarly work, Dr. as: Kant, Nietzsche, Heidegger, “Conditions for Indi- Fitz is the Director of the Peace and Human Rights vidual Freedom as Applied to the European Union” Committee, PHRC, at her university. A minor in Peace (co-authored with a colleague in political science), and Human Rights was approved last fall and the “Islam, Ahimsa, Gandhi, Intuition, Self-Discipline in PHRC is presently working on a Peace and Human the process of Self-realization” (An account of the Rights Center. Since 2006, Dr. Fitz has been a council Yoga view and Gandhi’s view of self-realization, co- member of the North American Academic Council for authored with another philosopher from Panjabi Uni- Jain studies. versity, India) and the Mystical Experience. Dr. Fitz gave the key-note address at the Nation- al Student Research Conference held at the State Uni- Introduction versity of New York, SUNY, ONEONTA, in April, 2006. As Mahatma Gandhi used the term, ahimsa meant The title of her address was: “Comparative Philoso- non-harm by thought word or deed to any living be- phy: Theory and Praxis.” The paper is to be published ing and the greatest love or compassion for all living in a book with the papers of the students which were creatures.1 Also, implicit in Gandhi’s use of the term picked to be delivered at the conference. was the belief that one must take a vow to live by Also in 2006, Dr. Fitz received a scholarship ahimsa, so described.2 from the Academic Council of the Academic Study of For quite some time, I have known that Gan- Jainism in North America for the International Sum- dhi’s thoughts on this ancient concept of ahimsa mer School for Jain Studies which is held in India. were greatly influenced by the Hindu, Jain, and Bud 1 Gandhi Lecture Series dhist traditions. Thus, three of the four volumes on traditionally taught them that they have a privileged Ahimsa: a Way of Life will be scholarly works position in life and that animals and plants were put involving the examination of the origins and devel- here for their needs and desires. They understand opment of ahimsa in the Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist non-violence, but it has been confined to not com- traditions, respectively. However, Ahimsa: a Path mitting violent acts against other human beings. They have little or no under- standing of what it means to develop an attitude and per- spective such that one tries not to harm people, animals, plants and the environment. Of course, as the Jain scholars make clear, to live is to cause harm to some living creature (We unintentionally step on and drive over living things and breathe them.),3 but the point is not to harm deliberately. It is because I believe that ahimsa must be taught to to Peace is written for the people, not scholars. This the people of the world, especially the children that is the case because, after years of working with the the first volume of the aforementioned works will be concept of ahimsa and its development in Hindu- written for lay people rather than scholars. I think ism, Jainism, Buddhism, and in Gandhi’s thought, that everyone who is literate and concerned about I am convinced that if world peace and a sense of the conflict and violence that occurs in relationships, individual well-being are to be realized, ahimsa the home, the community, nations and internation- must be taught to and practiced by the people of ally, should be able to read this book. It is a book for the world, especially the children. It must be taught the people! The major foci of concern in the book and developed as an attitude and a world perspec- are: 1. the origins and history of ahimsa within tive (weltanschauung). What this will take is for Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, respectively, which ahimsa to be loosened from its Indic moorings. It culminated in Gandhi’s thought; 2. what ahimsa cannot be owned by anyone. It will also take a group meant to Gandhi; 3. my belief that ahimsa has to of dedicated teachers who will offer courses on be taught to and practiced by people of the world, ahimsa to interested people of the world. especially children, if there is ever to be peace and Since, in general, westerners and other non- individual well-being in the world and, 4. what as- Indic peoples do not understand ahimsa, I believe pects of ahimsa can be taught to and practiced by that the teachers should be persons who understand all persons regardless of their traditions or cultures. and are sympathetic to India’s three great traditions. To date, I have given nine talks about Ahimsa: a Thus, most of the teachers should be from one of the Path to Peace. I gave eight talks in India this past great Indic traditions or persons who have studied summer ( three in Mumbai, one in Ahmadabad, and these traditions and/or Gandhi’s thought. four in New Delhi), and since my return to the United The reason that most westerners do not understand States, in late August, I gave the talk, based on the ahimsa is that their monotheistic traditions have thought expressed in this paper, at the Gandhi Lec 2 University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Center for Indic Studies ture Series, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. mentioned above, having to do with the origins Let us now consider the aforementioned subjects of ahimsa, one can find passages that say that which are the main foci of the book and the talks persons should bear no malice to animals that are about the book. not a threat to humans15 and a wish for universal friendliness.16 It seems plausible that friendliness would help to develop the positive aspects of kind- Hindu Origins and ness and compassion. Development of Ahimsa However, as we shall see, it was the Buddhists As I have written elsewhere, it seems abun- who fully developed the importance of compassion.
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