ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>AHIMS&#256</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="AHIMS"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279AHIMS&#256, The term <i>ahims&#257</i> is formed by adding the negative prefix <i>a</i> to the word hims&#257 which is derived from the Sanskrit root <i>ha&#7749</i>, i. e. 'to kill', 'to harm', or 'to injure', and means not-killing, not -harming, not-injuring. The commonly used English equivalent 'non-violence' is inadequate as it seems to give a false impression that <i>Ahims&#257</i> is just a negative virtue. <i>ahims&#257</i>is not mere abstention from the use of force, not just abstention from killing and injuring; it also implies the positive virtues of compassion and benevolence because not-killing and not-injuring a living being implicitly amounts to protecting and preserving it and treating it with mercy. The commandment not to kill and not to offend any living being arises from a feeling of compassion and from a sense of respect for every sentient being. The injunction that one is defiled and becomes sinful by killing and harming a living being is a kind of warning to those who are heedless of the principle of compassion. It thus strengthens the doctrine of compassion and reinstates the sentiment of respect for life. The injunction that the practice of<i>ahims&#257</i>is meritorious is likewise a kind of promise of reward to those who are compassionate and sensitive to all forms of sentient existence. <i>Ahims&#257</i> may embrace a variety of motivation---compassion for living beings, earning religious merit, achieving self-purification and dread for the sinful consequences of violence and cruelty. For all these motives there is scriptural authority in India.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In addition to the word <i>ahims&#257, </i> we have at least three others yielding the same sense. In Emperor Ashok&#257's Rock Edict No. 4 we have <i>avihims&#257</i> and <i>an&#257rambha</i>, while in the old P&#257l&#299 canonical texts we have the phrase <i>p&#257&#7751&#257tip&#257ta verama&#7751i</i>. The word <i>avihims&#257</i> is another form of the word <i>ahims&#257</i>, non-killing, not-injuring, inoffensiveness, harmlessness, kindness, compassion, benevolence, and love. The word <i>anar&#257mbha</i> (or <i>an&#257lambha</i>) means not-slaughtering (living beings in sacrificial rituals). The pharse <i>p&#257&#7751&#257tip&#257ta verama&#7751i</i> (Skt. <i>pr&#257&#7751tip&#257ta viratah</i>) means abstaining from destroying a living being.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It is now generally admitted that the principle of <i>ahims&#257</i> originated outside the fold of the Vedic tradition. The non-Vedic ascetic sages, known as <i>munis</i> and <i>&#347r&#257ma&#7751as</i>, were perhaps the first teachers of the doctrines of <i>ahims&#257</i> and <i>karu&#7751&#257</i> or compassion. However, its clear mention and its exposition as an important element in religious life are found only in the later Vedic age which is also the age of the earliest historical <i>&#347rama&#7751as</i> such as P&#257r&#347van&#257tha, Kapilamuni, Ka&#347yapa Buddha, Vardham&#257na Mah&#257v&#299ra, and &#346&#257kyamuni Buddha. P&#257r&#347van&#257tha (<i>circa</i> 750 BC) is known to have taught the fourfold moral restraint<i>(catury&#257ma) </i> which included the practice of <i>ahims&#257. </i></p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On the other hand, however, the ancient Br&#257hma&#7751ical literature gave only partial sanction to the practice of <i>ahims&#257</i> and continued to respect the custom of slaughtering animals in sacrificial rituals. It shows that originally it was a principle peculiar to the &#346rama&#7751ic tradition. The slaughter of animals was, of course, prescribed by the rite, but the practical object of this slaughter was to admit animal flesh for food.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sikhism accepts <i>ahims&#257</i> as a positive value, and there are numerous hymns in the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib, the Sikh Scripture, advising man to cultivate the ethical values of <i>day&#257</i> (compassion) and <i>prem</i> (love). It, however, does not accept <i>ahims&#257</i> as a mere absence of <i>hims&#257</i> or violence. Love, justice, equality, self-respect and righteousness are some of the overriding social values to guarantee which even <i>hims&#257</i> would be permissible.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sikhs' social and ethical values are all derived from their metaphysical doctrine. Sikhism believes in the unicity of God, who in His manifest form pervades the entire creation. Thus, all the created beings in this phenomenal world are His manifestation and intrinsically one with Him. This idea of inherent unity of being with the Supreme Being debars man from using <i>hims&#257</i> or violence against another being because that would amount to hurting the Divine. This ontological doctrine of divine unity is in Sikhism the basis of all positive values of <i>ahims&#257</i> such as social equality, love, compassion, charity and philanthropy. Gur&#363 Arjan, in one of his hymns, adjures man "not to injure anyone so that thou mayst go to thy true home with honour. " Mercy or compassion towards living beings is said to be equivalent in merit earned by pilgrimage to sixty-eight holy spots. This religious value attached to the practice of mercy affirms the principle of <i>ahims&#257. </i> Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur, N&#257nak IX, also says that one of the marks of a wise man is that he does not terrorize others nor does he allow himself to be terrorized by others.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Sikh tradition is also replete with instances of sacrifices made for the sake of justice, righteousness and human freedom. Gur&#363 Arjan and Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur laid down their lives to vindicate the right to freedom and religious belief. The creation of the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 Panth by Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, N&#257nak X, and the use of sword as sanctioned by him were also to vindicate the same values. The positive values of <i>ahims&#257</i> like compassion, love, universal brotherhood, freedom and self respect must prevail. However, if these are violated, man must resist. When all peaceful methods for such resistance are exhausted, the use of sword, so says Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh, is lawful (<i>Zafarn&#257mah</i>, verse 22). The use of sword, however, is not for any personal gain or advancement; it has to be for the general good. Thus was the doctrine of <i>ahims&#257</i> reinterpreted. The Gur&#363s affirmed their faith in its positive values, but if <i>hims&#257</i> became necessary to resist and defeat the forces violating these values, it was not considered antagonistic to <i>ahims&#257. </i></p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Davids, T. W. Rhys, "Ahims&#257" in <i>Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics</i>. Ed. James Hastings. Edinburgh, 1964<BR> <li class="C1"> Jack, Homer A. , ed. , <i>Religion for Peace</i>. Delhi, 1973<BR> <li class="C1"> Harbans Singh, <i>Peace Imperatives in Sikhism</i>. Patiala, 1991<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">L. M. Joshi<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>