e been to get away from legalism-as-religion and toward religion-as-life.
It is at this point that Buddhism enters the picture. Like Christianity, it was a response to an existing religion--Hinduism--and "early Buddhist teachings accepted certain elements of Indian thought that are today shared to some extent by Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism" (Molloy 132). Where similarity with Christanity arises is in the matter of fundamental doctrine. The idea of ahisma, which is interpreted as "do no harm," can be likened to the two great commandments of Christianity.
The ideal holds that to cause suffering to any being is cruel and unnecessary--life is already hard enough for each of us. Ahisma discourages causing not only physical pai
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