Nonviolence (ahimsa) is the principle of not causing harm to any living being through thought, word, or action. On the path of knowledge, nonviolence arises naturally from the recognition that all beings are the one existence appearing as many — harming another is harming oneself.

Nonviolence on the Path

• Nonviolence is not a forced moral rule but a natural expression of self-knowledge.

• When the seeker realizes that the same experiencer is present in all beings, the impulse to harm dissolves.

• The path does not prescribe extreme measures — the seeker lives naturally, causing minimal harm while recognizing that some harm is unavoidable in the process of living.

• Nonviolence includes not only physical harm but also verbal and mental harm — harsh words, judgmental thoughts, and malicious intentions.

Related Concepts

Ahimsa, compassion, self-knowledge, existence, non-duality, ethics