The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (81 page)

 
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(Heb., ‘later ones’). Later (from Middle Ages onward) rabbinic authorities—contrasted with earlier authorities, the
Rishonim.

 
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havan
ya
(sacrifice)
:

see
AGNIHOTRA
.

 
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Ahikar, Book of
.

An
Aramaic
folk-work, known during the period of the Assyrian Empire. It consists of the life of Ahikar (also mentioned in the
apocryphal
book of
Tobit
) and his sayings to Nadan his adopted son.

 
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(Skt., ‘not-harming’). Avoiding injury to any sentient creature through act or thought, a principle of basic importance for Indian religions, but especially for Jains and Buddhists, whose emphasis on ahi
s
reinforced their rejection of sacrifice (since sacrifice necessarily involves violence against animals). It is the first of the five precepts of Buddhist life (
la
). For Jains, it is the first of the
Five Great Vows
. Good conduct (
ca
ita
) is ahi
s
put into practice. It was a Jain,
r
mad
R
jacandra
, who greatly influenced
G
ndh
, through whose teaching, practice, and example nonviolence became a powerful instrument of dissent and political action in the 20th cent.