The principle of non-violence and respect for all living beings, central to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. It involves avoiding harm to any creature through thought, word, or deed.
From Sanskrit अहिंसा (ahiṃsā), literally meaning 'non-violence' or 'non-injury,' composed of 'a-' (not) and 'hiṃsā' (violence, injury). The concept entered English through scholarly and religious texts in the 19th century, gaining wider recognition through Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of non-violent resistance in the early 20th century.
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