Ahimsa

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​Ahimsa is often translated as "non-violence" or "non-harming", but that is an incorrect translation.

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Ahimsa comes from the root word "Himsa", meaning "injustice" or "cruelty". "A-" means "to be in opposition". Thus, Ahimsa means to be against injustice, cruelty and oppression.

 

Words, tones, behaviors, and even our thoughts can turn into weapons if used destructively. In the Veda, the ways of delivering harm are Kayaka (“of the hand,” or physical actions), Vacaka (“expressive,” or words), and Manasika (“of the mind,” or thoughts). The perfect practice of Ahimsa, then, may be seen to be rare indeed.

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This conscious consideration not only apply to yourself, but unto others as well. If you claim to embody Ahimsa, but turn a blind eye when any of the 3 types of violence is done unto others, then you are not practising Ahimsa in its essence. Thus, being a pacifist is not Ahimsa at all.

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In modern society, especially in the western world, Gandhi is the icon representing Ahimsa. But that is not so.

 

For example, if a gang of murderers wanted to a group of women & children, and you as a (self-claimed) practitioner of Ahimsa, stands in front of the group, trying to dissuade the murderers from harming the victims. This is neither wise nor effective. You would only add another casualty to the number of victims as the murderers would kill you before proceeding to kill the others. This action would have caused yourself to be killed, the murderers commit another crime, and did not save the group from their death.

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Ahimsa is to minimize and neutralize any form of violence, be it onto yourself or unto others.

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