Parables of Wisdom
Non Violence
अहिंसा · અહિંસા
An ant, an angry word and a secret wish, all in one day
- 3 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
Nirav thinks ahimsa simply means not hurting anyone, and he is sure he never does. Over one ordinary Saturday, his mother helps him notice three kinds of harm he had never counted.
What it teaches Ahimsa Mind, speech and body Self-awareness
The opening of the children's telling
Nirav said, "I never hurt anyone, Mummy. I don't hit, and I don't push." Mummy smiled. "Let's see," she said.
In the morning, Nirav saw tiny ants on the kitchen counter. "Ants!" he cried. Mummy said, "They only want something sweet." She wiped up the sticky drop. Then she gently brushed the ants into a paper cup. Nirav carried them outside to a plant. "That is being kind with our hands," said Mummy.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
Ahimsa lives in three places: our hands, our words and our thoughts.
To talk about together
Which is hardest for you to keep kind: your hands, your words, or your thoughts?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.