"There
are three dimensions to ahimsa. The first, and the most obvious,
is the physical dimension. The second is the mental dimension, where
emotions are included. The third is the spiritual dimension. So
Ahimsa, in my humble opinion, is not only non-killing and non-harming
of sentient beings or our fellow human beings, but also protecting
their lives. Not only just being negative or inactive, like passive,
like, "Okay, I don't kill, I don't scold, don't cause harm
physically but protect." And about these things the Indian
people know very well what to do. So I'm not going too far in this.
So,
we go to the mental level. Second is the emotional aspect, our mental
aspect. Suppose we cause harm to anyone, including ourselves, emotionally
or mentally; that, according to my very humble understanding, is
also ahimsa. So, ahimsa means we try not to hurt anyone emotionally,
deliberately; of course, we cannot avoid it when we do not understand
what the other people's feelings are, and then that is excusable.
Whenever we can, we try to avoid. This probably goes a very long
way; actually the whole precept of Hinduism consists of five or
ten precepts, including not-stealing, not-telling of lies, no sexual
abuse, no-intoxication and all that. I think it all boils down to
the word "ahimsa". For example, taking intoxicating substances,
and then hurting other people's feelings and causing them sorrow,
worries and anxieties, that is also ahimsa.
Suppose
we take another's spouse without consent of the other spouse I don't
know, I don't interfer in other people's private lives; but without
consent, we would cause sorrow, troubles and pain to the other spouse,
and in turn, also cause a lot of mental distress, emotional upset
to the children and to whomever are concerned in that family. So,
I guess that's also called himsa. That's why Indian philosophy always
emphasizes ahimsa. This is the mental and emotional aspect.
As
to the spiritual aspect, suppose if we do not understand the teachings
of a great sage from ancient times, and we try to interpret them
in a wrong way to suit our own purpose, our personal gain, may it
be political, may it be financial, may it be fame and glory, whatever.
That is also himsa, because we cause people to regress in their
spiritual practice. We cause people to degrade themselves and lessen
their glory in the eyes of the Lord, lessen their own Godly quality.
That is the greatest himsa in my very, very humble opinion."
From "The True Meaning Of Ahimsa"
News 91, Master Says
Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai
At The World Convention On Reverence For All Life,
Pune, India • November 23, 1997
(originally in English)