ahimsa

Ahimsa means non-violence and is a central ethical precept for Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists. For the Jain tradition ahimsa is especially important. It includes keeping a strict a strict vegetarian diet and avoiding occupations such as farming that may involve the unwitting destruction of life. Jain monks and nuns carry a variety of brooms, taking special care not to heedlessly crush tiny insects as they sit or walk. Some will even wear a white cloth mouth-covering to avoid inhaling microscopic organisms. Close contact with the Jain community in his native Gujarat influenced Mahatma Gandhi’s views of non-violence.