03 May ahimsa
Ahimsa is derived from the Sanskrit root verb san, which means to kill. His form means “wanting to kill”; the prefix a – is a negation. So a-himsa literally means "unwillingness to kill". Literally translated, ahimsa means to be undamaged; to be totally harmless, not just to yourself and others, but to all living beings. But its implications are much broader; it's more than not doing violence, it's more than an attitude, it's a whole way of life. It is the opposite of it, "violence" which is hurting the vitalities (prana s), through vibration due to the passions, which agitate the mind, body or speech. (Tattvarthadhigama Sutra vii: 13) The concept of ahimsa extends to all living beings and therefore the protection of the environment, natural habitats and vegetarianism are its natural derivatives. Buddhism and Jainism impose total non-violence on their followers. In Hinduism it means the principle of not harming living beings. Hindus, particularly in parts of southern India, often refrain from eating meat in accordance with the belief in not harming animals. For those who read the spirit of the Gita, it teaches the secret of non-violence, the secret of self-realization through the physical body.
www.mkgandhi.org/articles/ahimsa-Its-theory-and-practice-in-Gandhism.html