Ahimsa has been preached by many spiritual teachers.
Mahatma Gandhi practiced it and demonstrated Ahimsa in his life. It is not an easy virtue to hold on to. It requires will to train the mind and tame the emotions and regulate the adrenals. Non-violence in action may be easier than in speech and that of the mind. Inner violence always manifests either in speech or in harsh actions. So it has to start from the mind. Non-injury is a law that governs the virtue of Loving-kindness. If loving someone is Yin, Ahimsa is its Yang aspect. It takes lot more efforts to discipline the mind and the emotions which would reflect on one’s speech and actions. Wether Interpersonal or communal or political or international matters can be settled if non-violence is a means of communication. So I would like to quote Sri Paramahamsa Yogananda from his book Autobiography of a Yogi- where he says so boldly and clearly on these thoughts.
“It takes a fairly strenuous course of training to attain a mental state of nonviolence. It is a disciplined life, like the life of a soldier. The perfect state is reached only when the mind, body, and speech are in proper coordination. Every problem would lend itself to solution if we determined to make the law of truth and nonviolence the law of life. “
Dr. P