The Definition of Ahimsa

While reading the "Creed of non-violence", I came across the idea of Ahimsa. Ahimsa is obviously not an english word, so I was interested to find its true meaning. On the quest to find its true meaning, I found that it had several meanings depending on what angle you look at it. In its "negative" form, "it means not injuring any living being, whether by body or mind" (95). In its positive form, it has a similiar meaning, but there are subtle differences. "In its positive form, ahimsa means the largest love, the greatest...one must love his enemy" (96). From both the positive and negative perspectives, Ahimsa means doing good, but in the positive form, one is expected to be more pro-active in promoting the good. In the positive form, one is expected to go above and beyond the call of duty.