ahinsā

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Ahimsa

Ahimsa Ahimsa (Ahinsa) (अहिंसा: ahiṃsā, avihiṃsā) means ‘not to injure’ and ‘compassion’ and refers to a key virtue in Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. The word is derived from the Sanskrit root hiṃs – to strike; hiṃsā is injury or harm, a-hiṃsā is the opposite of this, i.e. cause no injury, do no harm. Ahimsa...

Painting in a Jain temple with the statement "ahinsā paramo dharma" (non-injury is the highest virtue/religion)

Ahimsa in Jainism

Ahimsa in Jainism Ahimsa (Ahinsā, ‘ahinsa’, अहिंसा, ahinsā, avihinsā) in Jainism is a fundamental principle forming the cornerstone of its ethics and doctrine. The term ahinsa means nonviolence, non-injury and absence of desire to harm any life forms. Vegetarianism and other nonviolent practices and rituals of Jains flow from the principle of ahimsa. The...