--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The highest religion has been defined by…" description: "\"The highest religion has been defined by a negative word: ahimsa.\" — Mahatma Gandhi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/mahatma-gandhi-23_ahimsa_the-highest-religion-has-been-defined-by_1437459.jpg" --- # The highest religion has been defined by a negative word… ![“The highest religion has been defined by a negative word: ahimsa.” quote by Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/mahatma-gandhi-23_ahimsa_the-highest-religion-has-been-defined-by_1437459.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/mahatma-gandhi-23_ahimsa_the-highest-religion-has-been-defined-by_1437459.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/mahatma-gandhi-23_ahimsa_the-highest-religion-has-been-defined-by_1437459.jpg) > “The highest religion has been defined by a negative word: ahimsa.” [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ahimsa, meaning non‑violence, defines the highest religion. **In simple terms:** Non‑violence is supreme religion. Key Takeaway Practice non‑violence. Themes ethics spirituality peace Mood serene determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - conflict resolution - social activism - personal conduct Key Concepts non‑violence moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How can you embody ahimsa daily? - What limits non‑violent approaches? A Different Perspective Non‑violence may be hard to uphold under threat. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ahimsa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ahimsa/) [Defined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defined/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Highest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highest/) [Highest Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highest-religion-1054553/) [Negative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative/) [Negative Word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative-word-1513464/) [Negative words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative-words/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Defined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-defined-662685/) [Word Ahimsa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-ahimsa-5135881/) ## Related quotes > [Indeed the very word, nonviolence, a negative word, means that it is an effort to abandon the violence that is inevitable in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/indeed-the-very-word-nonviolence-a-negative-word-means-that-it-is-an/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Neutrality is a negative word. It is a word that does not express what America ought to feel. America has a heart, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/neutrality-is-a-negative-word-it-is-a-word-that-does-not-express-what/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [Let us not speak of tolerance. This negative word implies grudging concessions by smug consciences. Rather, let us speak of mutual understanding and mutual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-pire/let-us-not-speak-of-tolerance-this-negative-word-implies-grudging/) [Dominique Pire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-pire/) > [The universe is not for man alone, but is a theater of evolution for all living beings. Live and let live is its guiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-universe-is-not-for-man-alone-but-is-a-theater-of-evolution-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The mountain is not something eternally sublime; it has a great historic and spiritual meaning to us. It stands for us as the ladder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-smuts/the-mountain-is-not-something-eternally-sublime-it-has-a-great/) [Jan Smuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-smuts/) > [“When you make ‘adjustments’ with everyone, that indeed is the highest of all religion (dharma).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/when-you-make-adjustments-with-everyone-that-indeed-is-the-highest-of/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [The highest religion is to rise to universal brother hood; aye to consider all creatures your equals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/the-highest-religion-is-to-rise-to-universal-brother-hood-aye-to/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [“The highest religion of human is the identity for which he is living rest is either one of the path or unnecessary fight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankit-samrat/the-highest-religion-of-human-is-the-identity-for-which-he-is-living/) [Ankit Samrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankit-samrat/) > [Flaw is just a negative word for what might be something that makes you unique or interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-warburton/flaw-is-just-a-negative-word-for-what-might-be-something-that-makes/) [Matt Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-warburton/) > [“Discipline is not a negative word. It comes from the Greek word "to train.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/discipline-is-not-a-negative-word-it-comes-from-the-greek-word-to/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [To me, the word 'workaholic' is a negative word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinny-woodall/to-me-the-word-workaholic-is-a-negative-word/) [Trinny Woodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinny-woodall/) > [“Furthermore, they must learn not to make the elementary mistake of assuming that because a word contains a negative suffix or prefix it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/furthermore-they-must-learn-not-to-make-the-elementary-mistake-of/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [Neutrality is a negative word. It does not express what America ought to feel. We are not trying to keep out of trouble; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/neutrality-is-a-negative-word-it-does-not-express-what-america-ought/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [Whatever strength the masses have is due entirely to ahimsa, however imperfect or defective its practice might have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/whatever-strength-the-masses-have-is-due-entirely-to-ahimsa-however/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Ahimsa can be practiced only towards those that are inferior to you in every way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/ahimsa-can-be-practiced-only-towards-those-that-are-inferior-to-you/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## More by Mahatma Gandhi > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Devotion required by the Gita is no soft-hearted effusiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/devotion-required-by-the-gita-is-no-soft-hearted-effusiveness/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [So long as we fear the outside world, we must cease to think of Swaraj.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/so-long-as-we-fear-the-outside-world-we-must-cease-to-think-of-swaraj/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I do not want a kingdom, or heaven; what I want is to remove the trouble of the oppressed, the poor, and the needy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-a-kingdom-or-heaven-what-i-want-is-to-remove-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Religions are not for separating men from one another, they are meant to bind them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/religions-are-not-for-separating-men-from-one-another-they-are-meant/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I hold flesh-food to be unsuited to our species. We err in copying the lower animal world if we are superior to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-hold-flesh-food-to-be-unsuited-to-our-species-we-err-in-copying-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was only in South Africa that I got over this shyness, though I never completely overcame it. It was impossible for me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-was-only-in-south-africa-that-i-got-over-this-shyness-though-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Where there is life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/where-there-is-life/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [If it was wrong to seek God in a stone, how was it right to seek Him in a book called the Gita, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/if-it-was-wrong-to-seek-god-in-a-stone-how-was-it-right-to-seek-him/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The spirit of democracy cannot be established in the midst of terrorism, whether governmental or popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-spirit-of-democracy-cannot-be-established-in-the-midst-of/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Champions are made from something they have deep inside of them-a desire, a dream, a vison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/champions-are-made-from-something-they-have-deep-inside-of-them-a/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [My motto is "Unite now, today if you can; fight if you must. But in every case avoid British intervention."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-motto-is-unite-now-today-if-you-can-fight-if-you-must-but-in-every/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I have no disciples, being myself an aspirant after discipleship and in search of a guru.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-have-no-disciples-being-myself-an-aspirant-after-discipleship-and/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Man becomes not the lord and master of all creation but he is its servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/man-becomes-not-the-lord-and-master-of-all-creation-but-he-is-its/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) [Explore all 3,284 Mahatma Gandhi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## More Ahimsa quotes > [Ahimsa can be practiced only towards those that are inferior to you in every way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/ahimsa-can-be-practiced-only-towards-those-that-are-inferior-to-you/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Whatever strength the masses have is due entirely to ahimsa, however imperfect or defective its practice might have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/whatever-strength-the-masses-have-is-due-entirely-to-ahimsa-however/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Which religion gives the greatest joy to God? That which inspires human beings to practice Ahimsa and compassion to all creatures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vallabha-acharya/which-religion-gives-the-greatest-joy-to-god-that-which-inspires/) [Vallabha Acharya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vallabha-acharya/) > [Ahimsa is not mere negative non-injury. It is positive, cosmic love. It is the development of a mental attitude in which hatred is replaced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivananda/ahimsa-is-not-mere-negative-non-injury-it-is-positive-cosmic-love-it/) [Sivananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivananda/) > [Ahimsa is an attribute of the brave. Cowardice and ahimsa don't go together any more that water and fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/ahimsa-is-an-attribute-of-the-brave-cowardice-and-ahimsa-don-t-go/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Strictly speaking, no activity and no industry is possible without a certain amount of violence, no matter how little. Even the very process of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/strictly-speaking-no-activity-and-no-industry-is-possible-without-a/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [If our ahimsa is not of the brave but of the weak, and if it will bend the knee before himsa, Gandhism deserves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/if-our-ahimsa-is-not-of-the-brave-but-of-the-weak-and-if-it-will-bend/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Khadi has been conceived as the foundation and the image of ahimsa. A real khadi-wearer will not utter an untruth. A real khadi-wearer will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/khadi-has-been-conceived-as-the-foundation-and-the-image-of-ahimsa-a/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Dharma is one and one only. Ahimsa means moksha, and moksha is the realization of Truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/dharma-is-one-and-one-only-ahimsa-means-moksha-and-moksha-is-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [It is against the spirit of ahimsa to overawe even one person into submission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-is-against-the-spirit-of-ahimsa-to-overawe-even-one-person-into/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Hinduism with its message of ahimsa is to me the most glorious religion in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/hinduism-with-its-message-of-ahimsa-is-to-me-the-most-glorious/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Ahimsa means infinite love, which again means infinite capacity for suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/ahimsa-means-infinite-love-which-again-means-infinite-capacity-for/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [To his enemies the householder must be a hero. Them he must resist. That is the duty of the householder. He must not sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/to-his-enemies-the-householder-must-be-a-hero-them-he-must-resist/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [A votary of ahimsa always prays for ultimate deliverance from the bondage of the flesh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-votary-of-ahimsa-always-prays-for-ultimate-deliverance-from-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [ If you kill me, you kill yourself." \[...\] He only wanted to convey to Janegg the truth of ahimsa, which is that all beings… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-zindell/if-you-kill-me-you-kill-yourself-he-only-wanted-to-convey-to-janegg/) [David Zindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-zindell/) [Browse all 138 Ahimsa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ahimsa/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The highest religion has been defined by a negative word: ahimsa.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mahatma Gandhi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-highest-religion-has-been-defined-by-a-negative-word-ahimsa/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ahimsa" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-highest-religion-has-been-defined-by-a-negative-word-ahimsa/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/mahatma-gandhi-23_ahimsa_the-highest-religion-has-been-defined-by_1437459.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/mahatma-gandhi-23_ahimsa_the-highest-religion-has-been-defined-by_1437459.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f1/mahatma-gandhi-23_ahimsa_the-highest-religion-has-been-defined-by_1437459.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The highest religion has been defined by a negative word: ahimsa.” — Mahatma Gandhi", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mahatma Gandhi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The highest religion has been defined...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-highest-religion-has-been-defined-by-a-negative-word-ahimsa/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-highest-religion-has-been-defined-by-a-negative-word-ahimsa/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```