*The word nonviolence is the closest
literal translation that Gandhi found to the Sanskrit
word ahimsa.
In Sanskrit, negation is sometimes
used to suggest that a concept or quality is too
great to be named directly.
"Ahimsa is unconditional love," writes
Eknath Easwaran, in his preface to Gandhi the Man.
"The word we translate as 'nonviolence' is
. . . central in Buddhism as well: Ahimsa, the
complete absence of violence in word and even thought
as well as action. This sounds negative, just
as 'nonviolence' sounds passive. But like the English
word 'flawless,' ahimsa denotes perfection."
--- from Miki Kashtan's article:"NVC: Gandhian
Principles for Everyday Living ".
