When I say Ahimsa condemns KILLING any sentient beings, I am understating the idea. Literally, Ahimsa means non-injury, which automatically implies non-killing. However, non-injury means more than just non-killing: "Ahimsa or non-injury means entire abstinence from causing any pain or harm whatsoever to any living creature, either by word, or deed" (235). Such degree of Ahimsa is practically impossible to reach. Absolute Ahimsa requires, "a harmless mind, mouth, and hand," and for a normal person, it is simply IMPOSSIBLE to do that (235). Simple words and gestures can easily hurt others, and one just cannot be conscious enough to avoid every hurtful words and gestures because humans are prone to make mistakes. You can only try your best to reach Ahimsa.
Even a trained monk has trouble perfecting ahimsa
I've realized lately that I have been saying things that hurt other people. I try to be conscious of what I say and stop myself from hurting others, but it is simply too hard to catch myself every time. Sometimes, I say things without knowing it'd possibly hurt the other person. I feel terrible for hurting others, and I try my best to refrain from saying hurtful things. But I keep making mistakes. Nevertheless I'll keep trying, and hopefully I can eventually control my speech. I don't plan to reach absolute Ahimsa, but I'd like to stop hurting others through my carelessness.
The idea of non-injury is great and all, but I don't quite agree with it. Yes, it's a great ideology not to kill or harm any living beings. However, it is unnecessary. When it comes to killing animals and eating meat, I agree more with the western idea of compassion than Ahimsa. Ahimsa extends compassion to all conscious things, and yes I agree we should be more compassionate towards other species. But as meat-eaters, it is hard to resist killing animals for meat. I mean, why should we be restricted from eating meat? Other carnivores kill and eat meat, so why shouldn't we be allowed to eat meat? Just because we have higher mental capacity to believe in Ahimsa, compassion for other animals, or whatever does not mean we have to be restrained from eating what we please to eat.
It's hard for me to give this up
The idea of Ahimsa does not end at non-injury; in fact, stopping yourself from emitting negative energy is just the beginning. Once you've learned to control negative forces, you have to express positive forces through love and compassion: "On the one hand, we are taught not to commit violence; and on the other hand, one needs to carry out the positive aspects of the world--that is, to actively promote peace, reverence, justice, and tolerance for all in the world" (249). This idea is similar to what Jesus Christ teaches in the New Testament. Jesus Christ teaches his followers to love everyone including enemies (There is a hypothesis that Jesus got this idea from Ahimsa when he lived in India). Hence, Ahimsa is similar to the western idea of compassion.
I don't know if I buy this image...
The basis of this compassion, however, seems to differ. People who uphold Ahimsa do it to accumulate good karma and avoid bad karma while western people do it to follow God: "... the doctrine of ahimsa evolved to prevent the acquisition of the bad karma that keeps us in this world" (222). Ahimasa also encourages people to be sensitive towards the environment, which western culture fails to emphasize.
