ahimsa

[ uh-him-sah, uh-hing- ]

noun

, Hinduism.

1. the principle of noninjury to living beings.

ahimsa

/ ɑːˈhɪmsɑː /

noun

1. (in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jainist philosophy) the law of reverence for, and nonviolence to, every form of life

Word History and Origins

Origin of ahimsa¹

First recorded in 1830–35; from Sanskrit ahiṁsā “noninjury,” equivalent to a- privative suffix (cognate with Greek a- ) + hiṁsā injury, derivative of hánti “(he) slays,” Greek phónos “murder”; a- ⁶

Word History and Origins

Origin of ahimsa¹

Sanskrit, from a- ¹+ himsā injury

Example Sentences

“He was a colossus, a true votary of ahimsa,” Lal wrote, “and a very compassionate man.”

From Los Angeles Times

Modi hopes to reach more people with the Jain teachings of ahimsa, or nonviolence in thought, word, and deed; nonpossessiveness; and acceptance of multiple viewpoints.

From Los Angeles Times

Kulkarni — who is Hindu — appealed to the shared Jain, Hindu and Buddhist belief in ahimsa, nonviolence and respect for others.

From Los Angeles Times

A core tenet of Jainism, a small but influential religion in India, is ahimsa, the practice of nonviolence and compassion toward all forms of life.

From New York Times

According to Raich, yoga class guidelines are undergirded by the concept of ahimsa, one of the five yamas, or moral values, of yoga.

From Washington Post