Meaning of Ahimsa

Meaning of Ahimsa

Ahimsa is a Sanskrit term that translates roughly into non-injury to

living beings or dynamic harmlessness. Ahimsa tends to evoke images of

monks wearing cloths over their faces to avoid breathing microscopic

beings and sweeping the insects off the path in front of them as they

walk so they won't accidentally crush one under their feet. One cannot

easily live in today's world without causing some harm to other beings

- but that does not mean we shouldn't try to keep it to a minimum.

There are some relatively easy steps you can take to reduce the

suffering in your wake.

Practice of Ahimsa develops love. Ahimsa is another name for truth or

love. Ahimsa is universal love. It is pure love. It is divine Prem.

Where there is love; there you will find Ahimsa. Where there is

Ahimsa, there you will find love and selfless service. They all go

together.

The one message of all saints and prophets of all times and climes, is

the message of love, of Ahimsa, of selfless service. Ahimsa is the

noblest and best of traits that are found expressed in the daily life

and activities of perfected souls. Ahimsa is the one means, not only

to attain Salvation, but also to enjoy uninterrupted peace and bliss.

Man attains peace by injuring no living creature.

There is one religion - the religion of love, of peace. There is one

message, the message of Ahimsa. Ahimsa is a supreme duty of man.

Ahimsa, or refraining from causing pain to any living creature, is a

distinctive quality emphasized by Indian ethics. Ahimsa or

non-violence has been the central doctrine of Indian culture from the

earliest day...

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... of Ahimsa and brought Ahimsa into the main stream of Indian

society.

Although Ahimsa should be practiced most of the time, there are also

times when Ahimsa can not be practiced for certain reasons, it is not

possible to practice Ahimsa in all situations a person comes across in

life. For example, if you are going to be attacked then self-defense

must be used in order to protect ones-self therefore the principle of

Ahimsa will be temporarily not in use.

Personally I think that if “The principle of Ahimsa is Hinduisms

greatest gift to the world.” Doesn’t this imply that other religions

do not teach the principle of non-violence? I feel that all religions

in one way or another teach non-violence. I feel that Ahimsa is a

great gift to the world, but it is not only Hinduism that promotes

Ahimsa it is all religions.