HAF unwaveringly supports a woman’s right to choose and control what happens to her own body. A woman deserves the right to decide if she believes that having an abortion is the correct decision to make based on her circumstances. As a community we must respect this right, as well as provide guidance and assistance when it is asked for. This includes the right to seek the advice and recommendations of a medical professional.
At HAF, our role is to reflect the diversity and general attitudes of our community and provide nuanced stances that allow for every Hindu to freely practice their respective tradition and culture without imposing the worldviews of any one Dharma tradition onto others.
In terms of Hindu Americans’ views today, Pew Research Center found that 68% of Hindu Americans believe abortion should be legal in most, if not all, cases. Additionally, most Hindus believe abortion is absolutely necessary when the mother’s life is at risk.
Different Hindu traditions and teachers have varying views on abortion. Among Mimāmsakā traditions, for example, it is clear that abortion is viewed as pāpam or harmful and incurring negative karma. Other traditions do not speak to the topic directly or specifically, but have teachings, practices, and processes to guide in any decision-making process. That said, abortion is broadly seen as an inherently harmful act (himsa), so decisions are not to be taken lightly. As such, beliefs and decisions about abortion will be diverse as Hindus turn to their respective tradition for guidance as it relates to their unique circumstances.
Rather than delegitimizing or legally restricting a woman’s right to choose, we should direct our efforts towards proven solutions to prevent unwanted or unviable pregnancies: education, access to contraception, medical care, and open and honest discussions amongst families.
Across the Hindu Dharma traditions, samsara (the cycle of birth and rebirth) dictates that every atman (divine self) has potentially lived multiple lifetimes before and continues to experience this cycle until it has fulfilled all of its karmic burden. As to the question of when the fetus is endowed with jiva (individual life force) — in the contemporary Western discussion, ‘when life begins’ — there are differing perspectives. Some Hindu sources state that it is after four months that the fetus is connected with consciousness. Other sources state that it is at the time of conception.
As a point of historical fact, abortion was known and practiced in ancient Hindu societies. It was taught in compositions like Sushruta Samhita, a medical text, as a valid procedure to be performed in certain circumstances per the wellbeing of the woman. It is ultimately the mother who has the right and the privilege, as well as the heavy duty of responsibility, over her unborn child.
A Hindu understanding of dharma recognizes that the best course of action for any person is highly dependent on their circumstances, their stage in life, the stage of fetal development, and other factors. What may be the appropriate and dharmic course of action for one person and set of circumstances may be the incorrect course of action for another.
In the context of dharma, various ethical principles must be considered, especially ahimsa (non-harming), which dictates that in any situation we should strive to act in ways that minimize intentional harm. The application of Hindu principles is always contextual, however, offering guidance for how to act and how to think about a situation, rather than providing firm commandments for behavior.
Most Hindus recognize that abortion happens mainly in situations that are far from ideal, such that continuing the pregnancy would seriously negatively impact a life, either that of the woman or the fetus. Thus even though abortion is an inherently harmful act that destroys a developing life, sometimes that might be the lesser of evils, the choice with the least harm created. Ahimsa or non-harm does not always oppose abortion, because it is important to give proper weight to the harm caused to a woman and her family by preventing her from getting an abortion, which will depend on individual circumstances. Ahimsa would similarly require consideration of the turmoil to both mother and child from continuing to carry a fetus that will never become viable.
Ultimately, criminalizing abortion doesn’t reduce it, but instead makes countless women die or suffer serious health damage in unsafe abortions. In addition, criminalizing abortion carries the potential of negative consequences for women who naturally miscarry — and that number is large because almost one-third of pregnancies end in miscarriage. So it is not clear that criminalizing abortion would be more in line with ahimsa.
Indeed, to Hindu women considering that choice, most of the Shāstras that speak about abortion directly do warn that abortion, like all killing, is an inherently harmful act that will yield negative karma in the future. The only person to whom this teaching is relevant to is a pregnant woman who is considering abortion. It is up to her and no one else to decide how the teaching might apply to her circumstances. Respect and reverence for the power of the Divine Feminine also means that as women have the power to bring life into the world, we must entrust women with control over their bodies as they exercise that power.
As such, our policy stance is that women are entitled to safe and legal access to abortion. It must be up to the woman to choose her course of action, and to face the karmic consequences thereof. The decision on whether to have an abortion is a private matter, between a woman, her healthcare provider(s), and whoever she sees fit to take into her confidence on the matter. Access to abortion is a fundamental necessity of human rights for women.
