The world's top ahimsa websites

<h1>Ahimsa</h1><strong>Ahimsa</strong> is a <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/religion" title="Religion">religious</A> concept which advocates <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/non_violence" title="Non-violence">non-violence</A> and a respect for all multi-celled animal <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/life" title="Life">life</A>. Ahimsa is the core of <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/jainism" title="Jainism">Jain</A> <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/dharma" title="Dharma">dharma</A>, and a central tenet of many <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/hinduism" title="Hinduism">Hindu</A> <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/sect" title="Sect">sects</A>. Those who practice Ahimsa are often <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/vegetarianism" title="Vegetarianism">vegetarians</A> or <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/vegan" title="Vegan">vegans</A>. <p>
<em>Ahimsa</em> is <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/sanskrit" title="Sanskrit">Sanskrit</A> for avoidance of <em>himsa</em>, or injury to <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/sentience" title="Sentience">sentient</A> beings. It was introduced to Western societies by the <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/hinduism" title="Hinduism">Hindu</A> saint and <em>Father of India</em>, <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/mahatma_gandhi" title="Mahatma Gandhi">Mahatma Gandhi</A>.<p>
Inspired by his actions, Western <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/civil_rights" title="Civil rights">civil rights</A> movements, led by such people as <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/martin_luther_king__jr_" title="Martin Luther King, Jr.">Martin Luther King Jr</A>, engaged in non-violent protests. The more recent popularity of <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/yoga" title="Yoga">yoga</A> and <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/meditation" title="Meditation">meditation</A> in <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/western_world_1" title="Western world">The West</A> has also served to introduce many westerners to <strong>Ahimsa</strong> and other <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/hinduism" title="Hinduism">Hindu</A> concepts.<p>
		
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<A CLASS="internal" HREF="#Ahimsa in Jainism">1 Ahimsa in Jainism</A><BR>
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<A CLASS="internal" HREF="#External links and references in Jainism">1.1 External links and references in Jainism</A><BR>
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<A CLASS="internal" HREF="#Ahimsa in Hinduism">2 Ahimsa in Hinduism</A><BR>
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<A CLASS="internal" HREF="#Yoga">2.2 Yoga</A><BR>
<A CLASS="internal" HREF="#Gandhi">2.3 Gandhi</A><BR>
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<A CLASS="internal" HREF="#External links">3 External links</A><BR>
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<A NAME=""><H2>Ahimsa in <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/jainism" title="Jainism">Jainism</A></H2><p>
In <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/jainism" title="Jainism">Jainism</A>, the <strong>ahimsa-vrata</strong> (vow of ahimsa) is the first of the five <strong>mahavratas</strong> (great vows). All animal life, and most <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/plant" title="Plant">plant</A> life, is considered <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/sentience" title="Sentience">sentient</A> and any action which may endanger such life is forbidden. Examples of forbidden activies include: <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/agriculture" title="Agriculture">agriculture</A>, <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/violence" title="Violence">violence</A>, animal sacrifice, liquor, eating <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/honey" title="Honey">honey</A>, eating <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/potato" title="Potato">potatoes</A> or certain <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/fruit" title="Fruit">fruits</A>, and night-eating (eating in the dark may result in the accidental ingestion of an <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/insect" title="Insect">insect</A>). Some Jains wear a <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/cloth" title="Cloth">cloth</A> over their mouths, to avoid inhaling airborne lifeforms. <p>
The ethical code of Jainism is taken very seriously. Summarized in the Five Vows, they are followed by both lay people and monastics. These are: <p>
<ol><li> non-injury (ahimsa) 
</li><li> non-lying (satya) 
</li><li> non-stealing (asteya) 
</li><li> non-possession (aparigrah) 
</li><li> chastity (brahmcharya) <p>
</li></ol>The Jain conception of ahimsa involves three times three--the three actions (<em>karanas</em>) of himsa in the three modes (<em>yogas</em>)--of observances:<p>
Neither by action, by speech or by thought:
<ol><li> do injury oneself (<em>krita</em>)
</li><li> cause injury to be done by others (<em>karita</em>) 
</li><li> approve injury done by others (<em>anumata</em>, <em>mananat</em>, or <em>anumodana</em>)<p>
</li></ol>For a discussion of the faith and its broader implications, see <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/jainism" title="Jainism">Jainism</A>.<p>
<A NAME=""><H3>External links and references in Jainism</H3><p>
<ul><li><A HREF="http://www.jainworld.com/phil/ahimsa/ahimindex.htm" class="external">Jainworld.com Ahimsa index</A><p>
</li></ul>
<A NAME=""><H2>Ahimsa in <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/hinduism" title="Hinduism">Hinduism</A></H2><p>
<A NAME=""><H3>Yoga</H3>
<A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/yoga" title="Yoga">Yoga</A> is one of the six schools of <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/hindu_philosophy" title="Hindu philosophy">Hindu Philosophy</A>, and as codified by <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/patanjali" title="Patanjali">Maharishi Patanjali</A> in the seminal work <em><A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/yoga_sutra" title="Yoga Sutra">Yoga Sutra</A></em> (the foundation of <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/ashtanga_yoga_1" title="Ashtanga yoga">ashtanga</A> and Raja Yoga), ahimsa is the first of the five <strong>yamas</strong> (eternal vows or restraints) of yoga.<p>
<A NAME=""><H3>Gandhi</H3><p>
<A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/mahatma_gandhi" title="Mahatma Gandhi">Mahatma Gandhi</A> was, in his own words, a member of the faith of <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/hinduism" title="Hinduism">Sanatana Dharma</A>, i.e. Hinduism, and drew many of his concepts of truth, nobility and ethics from the <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/bhagavad_gita" title="Bhagavad Gita">Bhagavad Gita</A> and his personal love of Lord <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/rama" title="Rama">Rama</A>, a Hindu God. However, it is without a doubt that he was greatly influenced by the <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/jainism" title="Jainism">Jains</A>, whose community in <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/india" title="India">India</A> is far more unified in its strict adherence to ahimsa than the more diverse sects of <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/hinduism" title="Hinduism">Hinduism</A>. Gandhi's conceptions of life and ahimsa, which led to his concept of <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/satyagraha" title="Satyagraha">satyagraha</A> (peaceful protest), primarily stem from his association with <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/hindu_philosophy" title="Hindu philosophy">Hindu</A> and <A HREF="http://allwebhunt.com/wiki-article-tab.cfm/jainism" title="Jainism">Jain philosophy</A>.<p>
Quotations from Gandhi on the subject:<p>
<cite>
<dl><dd>Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.
</dd></dl></cite><p>
and<p>
<cite>
<dl><dd>Literally speaking, ahimsa means non-violence towards most life. But to me it has much higher, infinitely higher meaning. It means that you may not offend anybody; you may not harbor uncharitable thought, even in connection with those who consider your enemies. To one who follows this doctrine, there are no enemies. A man who believes in the efficacy of this doctrine finds in the ultimate stage, when he is about to reach the goal, the whole world at his feet. If you express your love- Ahimsa-in such a manner that it impresses itself indelibly upon your so called enemy, he must return that love.<p>
</dd><dd>This doctrine tells us that we may guard the honor of those  under our charge by delivering our own lives into the hands of the man who would commit the sacrilege. And that requires far greater courage than delivering of blows.
</dd></dl></cite><p>
<A NAME=""><H2>External links</H2><p>
<ul><li><A HREF="http://www.sivanandadlshq.org/teachings/ahimsa.htm" class="external">Sri Swami Sivananda on Ahimsa</A>
</li><li><A HREF="http://www.kamat.com/mmgandhi/ahimsa.htm" class="external">Ask Gandhi: Ahimsa</A>
</li><li><A HREF="http://www.lifepositive.com/Body/yoga/ashtanga-yoga.asp#yama" class="external">Ashtanga Yoga Yamas</A><p>
<ol><li></li></ul>redirect

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