What exactly does 'Ahiṃsā' in the Indian tradition connote?
Anupam Kumar
The history of ahiṃsā is as old as the history of humankind, and the pacifist idea of ahiṃsā has been an essential condition for the advancement of every human civilization. Although all philosophical traditions of the world have recognized ahiṃsā and its adjacent values as essential for human and social well-being; Nevertheless, the subtle thinking seen on this subject in the Indian tradition is not found anywhere else. In this context, this article attempts to know the real meaning of the idea of ahiṃsā in the Indian tradition. It focuses specifically on a critical appraisal of the connotation of ahiṃsā in both the Vedic and Śramaṇic traditions within the Indian tradition.