Hinduism GCSE Revision: Religion, Peace and Conflict – Edexcel

• Hinduism promotes ahimsa and many Hindus believe that non-violence is the right course of action wherever possible.

• However one Hindu caste is kshatriya, which means ‘to protect from harm’. Therefore for this caste, fighting in a just war is seen as acceptable, but the motive must be defence or to protect the innocent.

• Many Hindus look to the rules set out in the Bhagavad Gita - The Laws of Manu and Rig Veda to decide if a war is just and fair.

Remember

There are different branches of Hinduism which include:

• Vaishnavism
• Shaivism
• Shaktism
• Smartism

This means that there is a variety of Hindu teachings on ethical issues, including those found in the thematic study of religion, peace and conflict.

Key concepts in religion, peace and conflict

The key terms below will appear repeatedly through the theme of Hinduism, peace and conflict.

For your exam on religion, peace and conflict, it is important to know the definitions of key terms. Take the quiz below to test your knowledge.

War is an organised conflict, usually consisting of intense violence carried out by one state or states against another state or states.

The reasons for war are often complicated and interlinked. Hindu teachings say they may include one of these three elements"

• Greed - Hindu teachings speak against greed, “Anger is an enemy that is difficult to conquer whereas greed is an endless sickness.” (Yudhishthira in Mahabharata 3.313.92)

• Self-defence - Self-defence is accepted by many Hindus as a justification for an armed response in some situations, especially if a country is under attack. The belief of Ahimsa does not mean that a person cannot protect themselves even if it involves conflict. “May your weapons be strong to drive away the attackers, may your arms be powerful enough to check the foes, let your army be glorious, not the evildoer." (Rig Veda 1-39:2) However, the violence used must be proportional.

• Retaliation and revenge - Retaliation and revenge are seen by many Hindus as creating a cycle of violence and hatred in which nobody wins. The Bhagavad Gita teaches against retaliation, emphasising forgiveness and the importance of justice.

Many Hindus believe that acting non-violently, ahimsa, is the best course of action wherever possible. However, some Hindus would say that violence is acceptable if it is used to uphold important Hindu religious values.

Rig Veda 10. 191:4 supports this by stating:

Meet together, talk together, let your minds apprehend alike; in like manner as the ancient gods concurring accepted their portion of the sacrifice.”

Some Hindus believe that this means that violence is occasionally needed as a sacrifice to ensure peace in the end.

There are many traditional stories in the Hindu scriptures of Hindu gods being involved in wars when they came to Earth. For example, avatars or incarnations of Vishnu like Varaha, fought in divine battles at different times to defeat evil.

Varaha kalpa refers to a period/era when Varaha helped to defeat evil forces in the world. The number of divine battles varies between the holy texts.

As well as the gods, ordinary people like the two rival family groups of the Kaurava and Pandava fought each other. This took place at Kurukshetra to defend Pandava family honour and for the throne of Hastinapura.

The family rivalry led to the battle mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita11 where Krishna advised Arjuna to fight, as this was the only way to resolve a conflict:

The Lord declares that in the form of Time, He is the destroyer of the three worlds. He has already destroyed the Kaurava warriors, and the Pandavas’ victory is certain. Therefore, Arjun should not be fearful anymore. He should just get up and fight.”

It is the belief of many Hindus that the punishment for omission is eternal condemnation from both humans and other divine beings.

If you do not fight in this just war, you will neglect your duty, harm your reputation and commit the sin of omission."

Bhagavad Gita

Just War means a war which meets internationally accepted criteria for fairness and follows traditional rules.

Many Hindus look to the rules set out in the Laws of Manu and Rig Veda to decide if a war is just and fair.

The Laws of Manu set out some guidelines about Just War. Chapter 7 states that war should be avoided by negotiation and reconciliation and be fought only as a last resort. It refers to the right way to behave during wartime, and states that Kshatriyas should fight fairly and show honour, mercy and respect. They should fight according to the following rules.

• Only fight other soldiers and the use of force should be proportionate. "When he fights with his foes in battle, let him not strike with weapons concealed (in wood), nor with (such as are) barbed, poisoned, or the points of which are blazing with fire.” (Laws of Manu 7:90) Rig Veda 1-39:2 also states, "May your weapons be strong to drive away the attackers, may your arms be powerful enough to check the foes, let your army be glorious, not the evil-doer.”

• Do not hurt any women or children.

• Never attack people while they are sleeping.

• Never attack when the opposition has surrendered.

Nor one whose weapons are broken, nor one afflicted (with sorrow), nor one who has been grievously wounded, nor one who is in fear, nor one who has turned to flight; (but in all these cases let him) remember the duty (of honourable warriors)”

Laws of Manu 7:93

Bhagavad Gita 2:31 – 38 speaks of Hindus fighting in the right way for righteous causes. 2.31 states:

Besides, considering your duty as a warrior, you should not waver. Indeed, for a warrior, there is no better engagement than fighting for upholding of righteousness."

And 2.33:

If, however, you refuse to fight this righteous war, abandoning your social duty and reputation, you will certainly incur sin.”

Based on the beliefs of ahimsa, most Hindus strongly oppose terrorism.

Terrorism is illegal and the UK’s Terrorism Act 2000 defines it as:

The use or threat of serious violence against a person or serious damage to property where that action is: designed to influence the government or an international governmental organisation or to intimidate the public or a section of the public; and for the purpose of advancing a political, religious, racial or ideological cause.”

Examples of modern terror attacks include:

• 11 September 2001, suicide attackers seized US passenger planes and crashed them into two New York skyscrapers, killing 2,977 people.

• 22 July 2011, Anders Breivik killed 77 people in Norway by firstly detonating a van bomb and then carrying out a mass shooting.

• 14 October 2017, at least 587 people were killed in a truck bombing in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

• 9 June 2024, 9 Hindu pilgrims were killed and 33 injured following a shooting attack as they headed to the Hindu shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi.

Hindus believe that, as there is a part of Brahman within every human life then it is not right to harm and be violent towards anyone else and they should seek to be at peace with everyone.

He moves, and he moves not. He is far, and he is near. He is within all and he is outside all”

Isa Upanishad 1:5

Hindus should work towards more peaceful ways of solving issues of conflict. This encourages Hindus to stand against terrorism as action carried out in anger and injustice. It does not solve problems, but instead can cause more destruction.

Weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) can kill lots of people and include chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons.

Nuclear weapons are enormously powerful explosives that use a nuclear reaction. The explosions they produce are so powerful that one nuclear bomb can destroy a large city, which indiscriminately kills huge numbers of people.

No religion agrees with the use of weapons of mass destruction.

Most Hindus believe that it is important not to be violent towards others in any way.

Be friendly and compassionate released from ego selfishness, patient, hate not any being, the same in pain and happiness.”

Bhagavad Gita 12:14

Using weapons of mass destruction would be seen as unacceptable and many Hindus would support the organisations that campaign against the use of such weapons.

Case study – Hiroshima and Nagasaki

On 6 August 1945, the USA dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The blast devastated an area of five square miles, destroying more than 60 percent of the city’s buildings and killing around 140,000 people.

Three days later the USA dropped a second atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki, killing around 74,000 people. The nuclear radiation released by the bombs caused thousands more deaths from radiation sickness in the weeks, months and years that followed.

When Gandhi learnt about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he remembered saying to himself:

Unless now the world adopts non-violence, it will spell certain suicide for mankind.”

In 1947, Gandhi stated, “He who invented the atom bomb has committed the gravest sin in the world of science.”

Bhagavad Vita 13.28: “They alone truly see, who perceive the Paramatma (Supreme Soul) accompanying the soul in all beings, and who understand both to be imperishable in this perishable body.” Hindus understand this to mean that God, the supreme soul, is present in all bodies and the use of weapons of mass destruction would therefore destroy something of God the divine.

In 2021, at the General Debate of the First Committee of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly, Ambassador Pankaj Sharma - Permanent Representative of India to the Conference on Disarmament (CD) Geneva - said,

We are deeply concerned about the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, which endangers international peace and security.”

Hindus believe that seeking justice is a duty for each person.

By caring and serving all people who are part of God in the universe, in their local community Hindus believe that will help peace and justice to flourish.

He who sees all beings in the Self itself, and the Self in all beings, feels no hatred by virtue of that wisdom.”

Ishavasyopanishad 1:6

Despite the difficulties in carrying out justice, many Hindus believe that justice is important to prevent conflict and deal with the aftermath of war.

Peace means an absence of conflict and is the opposite of war.

Some Hindus believe achieving peace can achieve happiness and harmony in society. Working for peace is seen as part of ahimsa, the belief that all life should be respected and will be rewarded by good karma.

Achieving inner peace is important for many Hindus, therefore, some Hindus will work towards being non-violent in all aspects of their lives. Hindus believe that, as there is a part of Brahman within every human life, then it is not right to harm or be violent towards anyone else.

Case study - Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi was a Hindu who was determined to achieve independence for India from the British Empire. But he believed that this could and should be achieved through non-violent protest, which he called satyagraha.

The main way he asked people to do this was through civil disobedience.

Non-violence is more powerful than all the armaments in the world. Non-violence is not passivity in any shape or form. It is the most active form in the world. In non-violence the masses have a weapon which enables a child, a woman, or even a decrepit old man to resist the mightiest government successfully.”

Mahatma Gandhi

The Salt March

The British had been taxing salt in India for decades, but this hurt the poorest people most.

To show the world the injustice of British rule, Gandhi and 78 other leaders marched 240 miles from the Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi. They were joined by thousands of people who wanted to protest by symbolically collecting salt from the sea without paying any tax to the British. This tax made it difficult for poorer Indians to afford British salt, and it was also illegal for them to produce their own salt. Anyone found to be making their own salt could be imprisoned for up to six months.

After this protest, around 60,000 people were arrested, including Gandhi himself. But the British government accepted that they had to consider some of Gandhi’s requests and invited him to London.

This peaceful protest was a significant turning point, because it showed that the British government was starting to seriously consider Indian independence.

Watch the video below to compare Hindu, Buddhist and Jewish attitudes towards whether religious people should always forgive.

Forgiveness is an important teaching in Hinduism. The festival of Holi is a day that marks the importance of forgiveness and righting any wrongs between people. Hindus believe that both the perpetrator and the victim of injustice must find peace with the situation.

Forgiveness is the one supreme peace.”

Mahabharata 5:33

The story of Rama and Sita from the Ramayana, illustrates the importance of forgiveness, when Sita forgives those who have harmed her. Hindus believe that they should follow Sita’s example.

Forgiveness is also seen as a divine quality. In Hinduism, it is divided into two forms - the Goddess Lakshmi forgives even when the perpetrator does not care, and the God Vishnu will forgive when forgiveness is asked for. As the forgiveness of Lakshmi is seen as more honourable, many Hindus will try to forgive those who have wronged them even if that forgiveness has not been sought or asked for.

…by forgiveness is it that the whole universe is held together.”

Mahabharata 3

Reconciliation

Reconciliation is about making up and rebuilding relationships between two sides after a conflict has taken place. It is more than just apologising, as it is moving on from the situation and actively working towards peace.

Having forgiven someone, many Hindus believe that it is important to be reconciled with the person they have been hurt by, so that the world continues to be peaceful and harmonious. Hindus also believe that there needs to be inner reconciliation with one’s true self, which can be reached through self-forgiveness and self-realisation.

A holy war is a war that is authorised by a legitimate religious authority.

Non violence should always be aspired to in Hinduism but there are times when conflicts can only be resolved by fighting, particularly when justice is being sought.

It is the duty of Hindus to know and understand from religious texts when it is right to fight for their faith. For example, the Bhagavad Gita tells the story of Arjuna seeking advice from the God known as Krishna, when the Kaurava and Pandava were both claiming the same kingdom. Arjuna knew that there were members of his family on both sides and so it was possible that he might kill a member of his own family if he went to war. Krishna authorised the war by explaining to Arjuna that there was nothing to fear in killing in war, as the soul is immortal and when the body dies, then the soul will be born again.

…atman is not killed when the body is killed… certain is death for the born and certain is birth for the dead, so you need not grieve.”

Bhagavad Gita 2

Arjuna was told as he had been born into the warrior caste, then he had the duty of his varna to fight as a warrior and if he chose not to do so because of cowardice then it would be seen as dishonourable.