Training In Nonviolence - Theory & Practice: Training In Nonviolence: The Basic Element

The basic element of training in nonviolence is a change of heart or mental training. The following specific principled formulas are required to be part of the training for bringing about a change of heart.

Factors causing violence effects

1.	Greed	Tendency to acquire
2.	Fear	Manufacture and use of armaments
3.	Hostility	Tendency to take revenge
4.	Anger	Internecine quarrels
5.	Egoism	Hatred and discrimination based on considerations of caste and colour
6.	Cruelty	Exploitation and killing
7.	Intolerance	Sectarian Strife
8.	Absolute	Obduracy as opposed to tendency to disregard the relative views of others.
9.	Absolute behaviour	Tendency to practise non-cooperation in communal life.

These instincts turn people violent. Change of heart means overcoming these instincts and cultivating new refined habits instead.

Formulas of Mental Training

The antidote to greed	Training in freeing oneself from the infatuation for material objects and the body.
The antidote to fear	Training in cultivating fearlessness and in strengthening the will not to manufacture or trade in armaments.
The antidote to hostility	Training in cultivating friendship and in eschewing the tendency to take revenge.
The antidote to anger	Training in learning to forgive.
The antidote to egoism	Training in practising humility, nonviolent opposition and non-cooperation with injustice.
The antidote to cruelty	Training in cultivating goodwill for other sects and the ability to put up with diverse views.

The last two factors causing violence can be countered by training people in relativism of thinking and behaviour. Negative feelings are to be countered by training in feeling positively.

Stopping nonessential violence

Training in nonviolence will have as one of its constituents making the people aware of the need to give up nonessential violence. Wastage of water, excessive mining, killing innocent creatures and people are examples of nonessential violence. It has made man cruel and has disturbed the balance of nature.

Physical health and nonviolence

 There is an intrinsic relation between physical health and nonviolence. Illhealth generates violence. One of the factors responsible for people committing suicide is inadequate sugar in the blood. Likewise, disorders of liver and spleen also contribute to violent thoughts. Therefore, training in differential dietetics and Science of Healthy Living is a vital component of training in nonviolence.

Economic health and nonviolence

Training in the following subjects is necessary for the economic health of an
individual as well as society:

• Voluntary parting with wealth
• Non-acquisitiveness
• Decentralization of the economy
• Economics and World Peace
• Economics and a Healthy Society
• Legitimate Means of Making Money
• Just Distribution of Wealth
• Restraint in consumerism and limitation of wants