Sam Harris, Letter to a Christian Nation (2006), p. 23, .
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Mahavira, the Jain patriarch, surpassed the morality of the Bible with a single sentence: "Do not injure, abuse, oppress, enslave, insult, torment, torture, or kill any creature or living being." Imagine how different our world might be if the Bible contained this as its central precept.

— Sam Harris

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Mahavira, the Jain patriarch, surpassed the morality of the Bible with a single sentence: "Do not injure, abuse, oppress, enslave, insult, torment, torture, or kill any creature or living being." Imagine how different our world might be if the Bible contained this as its central precept." in the context of "Sam Harris, Letter to a Christian Nation (2006), p. 23, ." to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Mahavira" (Quotes about Mahavira) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Mahavira

About Mahavira

Mahāvira (वर्धमान महावीर) or Mahāvir (the "Great Hero"); also, Vardhamāna (increasing) or Niggantha Nāthaputta (599–527 BC), was a philosopher and teacher who developed the core traditions of Jainism.Mahāvira, at: 3 August 2025