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The True Meaning Of Ahimsa

 

"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)

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Puna, India
November 23, 1997
English
The True Meaning Of Ahimsa

   

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