What does pacifism mean in Hinduism?
For many, Hinduism is a religion which follows pacifistSomeone who is completely opposed to any kind of violence and will not participate in any aspect of war. principles because there are clear reasons to lead a non-violent lifestyle. In general many Hindus do not agree with violence because:
- they believe in the concept of ahimsaThe Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh principle of total non-violence, in thoughts, words and actions.
- good meritA beneficial influence built up through wholesome and skillful actions (karma), capable of affecting a person's future experience in this life and the next. is built up by avoiding violence
- all living things are believed to have equal worth and should not be harmed
- rejection of violence can lead to world peace
- Hindu scripture, eg the Rig VedaThe oldest and most sacred Hindu scripture., often comments on achieving peace
Come together, talk together, let our minds be in harmony鈥erfect be the union among us.
Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma GandhiA Hindu who was given the title 'Mahatma', meaning 'great soul', because of his work for and commitment to equality and peace. Born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. is one of the most famous Hindus in history. He firmly believed in ahimsa and dedicated his life to achieving justice and harmony. Gandhi taught that he would rather die himself than inflict violence onto another:
Non-violence should never be used as a shield for cowardice. It is a weapon for the brave.
Refusing to use any force, Gandhi achieved equality laws in India. He is a famous pacifist. Some of the ways he fought without violence against injustice include:
- reporting injustices to the press, to make people aware of what was going on
- refusing to fight back if attacked by the authorities
- leading a salt marchProtest by the people of India against the British Empire's tax on salt.
- giving peace talks to millions of Hindus, inspiring them to join his peaceful protests
- being willing to go to prison for his beliefs
- starving himself in protest to stop fighting between Muslims and Hindus and to get himself out of prison
- being willing to suffer physical beatings for his beliefs but not fighting back
Gandhi's work helped to achieve independence for India from the British Empire in 1947. It was his belief in ahimsa that was the driving force of his work. These teachings gave him the strength and bravery to seek justice without using violence of any kind:
Ahimsa and truth are like two sides of the same coin鈥himsa is the means, truth is the end.
Ahimsa includes being willing to stand up for what is right no matter how alone you are in that belief. Gandhi believed that if we keep hitting back in revenge, nobody wins in the end - we will just destroy the world:
An eye for an eye and the world will soon be blind.