Ahimsa

戒杀

Ahimsa is the tenet of non-violence found in Indian religions. In Hinduism, it entails kindness and doing no harm to living things out of the belief that all beings are connected in Brahman, the fabric of absolute reality. Both verbal and physical violence are to be avoided, as they create bad karma, resulting in negative consequences for the soul that perpetrates them. However, Hindus hold that ahimsa does not extend to warfare or the death penalty, allowing for both and honoring the duties of warriors and soldiers. Hindus also maintain that self-defense is permitted. Ahimsa encourages vegetarianism, though many Hindus do eat meat, often refraining only from beef as cows are revered in Hinduism. Still, some Hindus argue that eating any meat is sinful.