BEYOND ALL WORDS OR FORMULATIONS

 
Man has a tendency to cling to catchwords and to allow his actions to be determined by them almost mechanically without bringing his actions into direct relation with the living perception that these words embody. Words have their own place and use in life; but if action is to be intelligent, it is imperative that the meaning these words are intended to convey should be carefully analyzed and fixed.

Among the words that need such exploration, few are as important as "violence" and "nonviolence." They have a direct bearing upon the ideologies that shape not only particular actions but also the entire tenor of life.

Spiritual life is a matter of perception and not of mechanical conformity to rules, even when these rules are meant to stand for the highest values. It implies an understanding that goes beyond all words or formulations. All words and formulations have a tendency to limit the Truth.

Therefore, those who seek to bring out the spirit underlying these formulations often have to launch upon a searching analysis of the formulated principles and to supplement this analysis by constantly retaining touch with concrete examples taken from life. This is particularly true of those guiding principles formulated through the opposite concepts of violence and nonviolence.