Hindu concept
Ahimsaअहिंसा
ahiṃsā — non-violence and reverence for all life
In short
Ahimsa is non-violence — the principle of not harming any living being in thought, word, or deed. A core ethical value across Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism, it rests on reverence for the life present in all beings and is regarded as among the highest expressions of dharma.
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What it means
Ahimsa means 'non-harming.' More than refraining from physical violence, it extends to speech and intention — cultivating a heart that wishes no injury to any living thing. Because the same life and self is seen to dwell in all beings, harming another is understood to wound that shared reality.
Ahimsa is woven through Hindu ethics and practice, from vegetarian tradition to the counsel of the sages, and it shaped the modern world through Mahatma Gandhi, who made non-violence the foundation of a movement. It is not passivity but a disciplined, active commitment to meet the world without cruelty.
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About Ahimsa
What is ahimsa?
Ahimsa is non-violence — not harming any living being in thought, word, or deed. It is a core ethical value in Hinduism, resting on reverence for the life present in all beings.
Why is ahimsa important in Hinduism?
Because the same self is seen to dwell in all beings, non-harming is held among the highest expressions of dharma. It shapes ethics, vegetarian tradition, and, through Gandhi, the modern practice of non-violence.
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