“The Scriptures of the Christians, Mussalmans, and Hindus are all replete with the teaching of ahimsa.” ~ Gandhi, CWMG, xxv. 522

As are those of the Jains, Buddhists, Jews, etc. The differences are only of degree, with the Jain scriptures (and practices) carrying their ahimsa teaching to the furthest and most demanding degree. This should tell us something about the centrality of ahimsa (nonviolence) in all moral systems and all human aspiration. It is for this reason that Gandhi urged that all children should be given “a reverential study” of all the world’s major religions. Not just an intellectual study, but enough understanding to bring respect. Imagine what our world would look like if religion were no longer a fault line for the most intense conflict but a unifying force.

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About Daily Metta

Stephanie Van Hook, the Metta Center’s executive director, launched Daily Metta in 2015 as a way to share Gandhi’s spiritual wisdom and experiments with nonviolence.

Our 2016 Daily Metta continues with Gandhi on weekdays. On weekends, we share videos that complement Michael Nagler’s award-winning book, The Search for a Nonviolent Future: A Promise of Peace for Ourselves, Our Families, and Our World. To help readers engage with the book more deeply, the Metta Center offers a free PDF study guide.

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