Humans need to pay heed to ancient Indian philosophy to emerge out of the present world crisis, says Benoy Behl

A  day ago, I read a report by London-based professors Andrew Cunningham and Kate Jones. The report clearly depicted how human beings have played a huge role in landing the world in the present crisis, including how other viruses could also be spread even after the present disaster has ended. However, besides dealing with the ongoing situation, I thought it is time to introspect and to understand how we can plan for a healthy and happy tomorrow.

The report showcased how humans are responsible by, first, destroying the habitats of bats and other animals, as well as keeping them in conditions of extreme stress and misery. Animals which can fly and roam free are often found trapped in terrible circumstances — sometimes in cages, piled one on top of another. Some animals like chicken often spend their entire life cooped up in a crowded space and are not allowed to sleep so that they can soon become an appropriate size to be consumed by humans.

Such circumstances are terrifying for animals and make them extremely stressed. Consequently, their resistance and response to diseases is greatly impaired. This all eventually turns into a breeding ground for viruses, which one day jump on to human beings as we can see today.

This is a time when one should recall how in ancient Indian philosophy, all the living beings of the world have been regarded as being deeply united. There is no separate compartment for animals or birds. They are all jeeva (living beings). The concept can also be understood with the example of our own previous births in the form of different animals. Even the Buddha is seen in many avatars in his previous births — as a buffalo, monkey, boar, elephant and so many other animals. We are indeed taught to respect the dignity and emotions of all the animals and birds around us since we were also one of them at some point of time.

In Mahisha Jataka, a fifth century painting, Gautama Buddha is seen in his previous birth as a buffalo. The pesky monkey troubles him but the kindly Bodhi Sattva does not mind. In fact, one can see a smile on the face of the Mahisha. It is such a composite creature. The depiction displays the oneness of all life forms. It is such a delightful and joyous creature with the qualities of an elephant, cow, deer and even a horse.

Then comes the Stupa II, Sanchi from 100 BCE. In today’s time, the message from Indian art and philosophy about oneness of all beings is that it is time to stop being cruel to bats, chicken and all kinds of animals, trees and eventually, nature, which we use to fulfill our necessities.

This is one of the most difficult times the world is going through. However, we do have a choice by looking at it through a different prism. We can use it to look at ourselves, rethink our lives, take care of all that is around us and reshape a better future for this planet.  We would have achieved something positive and learnt a very important lesson even in the midst of such a crisis. We are very fortunate to have a rich heritage of philosophy, which has always taught us universal love and the interconnection of all creation, including us, animals, the trees and rivers and even the sun, the moon and the stars. The early Upanishads, which were penned in the eighth-ninth centuries BCE, presented a marvellous vision of the interconnectedness of all that is around us.

Foreign visitors to ancient India constantly wrote about vegetarianism which they found here. They found it remarkable and said it was based upon the Indian belief in ahimsa, or non-violence to all living creatures. In any case, cruelty to animals is wholly unnecessary and the world should take a leaf out of the Upanishads, to shape a vision for a better tomorrow.

(The writer is a culture historian, filmmaker and photographer.)