Hinduism - Dialogue between religious and non-religious beliefs and attitudes - OCR

In this article, learn about how Hindus view attitudes towards abortion and euthanasia.

Key points

• Hinduism teaches that all life contains atman, making every being sacred and interconnected.

• Many Hindus believe that karma, samsara and dharma shape decisions about life and death.

• There are various Hindu views on abortion and euthanasia.

An abortion is a way of ending a pregnancy. Abortion is legal in the UK in specific circumstances which are set out in law.

Hinduism teaches that life begins at conception, and that all human life is sacred, therefore many Hindus disagree with abortion. From a Hindu perspective, abortion ends a life that contains the divine spirit and also stops a reincarnated soul from working through the bad karma it carries from past lives.

In addition many Hindus argue that abortion breaks the sacred trust between mother and child. They believe it contradicts the Hindu principle of shelter, which teaches protection of the vulnerable.

However, some Hindus think abortion may be acceptable if the mother's life is in danger and the principle of ahisma is applied to protect the woman.

Ethical approaches such as situation ethics stress that decisions should be made out of love and to minimise harm. For Hindus, this connects to dharma and acting according to one's duty.

Euthanasia is the act of deliberately ending a person's life to relieve suffering. Euthanasia or assisted dying is currently illegal in the UK (March 2026).

Hindus see life as part of Brahman and the natural cycle of samsara. Euthanasia may be viewed as interfering with this cycle, preventing reincarnation, and going against the principle that all life is sacred.

Suffering is understood as part of karma, allowing the soul to learn and progress. Therefore, for many Hindus, ending suffering early through euthanasia may prevent spiritual growth and the completion of one’s karmic journey.

Some Hindus believe euthanasia contradicts ahisma because it involves actively ending a life. Hindu scriptures teach that the soul continues after death and how life ends affects future rebirths. Ending life unnaturally may disrupt this spiritual process.

However, other Hindus argue that ahimsa can also mean preventing suffering. In cases of extreme pain, euthanasia might be viewed as an act of compassion, motivated by love rather than harm.

Modern Hindu perspectives may draw on the idea of situation ethics, focusing on love, compassion, and minimising harm. This allows more flexible responses to complex situations such as euthanasia.

Use this flashcard activity to learn key quotes from scripture.