Gandhi: A Vision for A New World Order
Mary Ann Sellars
[Editor’s Note:]
Ms. Mary Ann Sellars has graduated with M.A. in Philosophy, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, IL., on completion of her thesis under Professor Sallie B. King as major advisor. The Special Honors and Awards she has won include "Phi Kappa Phi Honors," Southern Illinois University, and "President’s List," John A. Logan College. This paper is highly recommended by Professor John Howie and the Indian scholar, Visiting Professor Ramakrishna Puligandla at SIUC.On September 10th, 1990, George Bush, the President of the United States, speaking before the House of Representatives and the Senate, stated that we are standing upon the brink of a new world-order. Recent events in the world clearly indicate that we are certainly moving in a different direction. Hence, in light of the events that suggest rapid change on the international scene, the question is, how do we proceed from here? When considering the question of a new world-order, a variety of views is bound to surface. The purpose of this paper is to consider one such view, expressed in the philosophy of Mohandas K. Gandhi.
Gandhi spent his whole life searching for answers to the problems associated with his world-order. Since Gandhi’s time, many people have been searching for a new world-order that would make peace the top priority, non-violence the path, truth the end, and tolerance among religions the goal. They find themselves inspired by the teachings of Gandhi and desire a closer walk with his perception of the truth. Through his teachings, the world is able to share in his abundant spirituality and dynamic philosophy. He was a man who was deeply moved by the suffering of others and who dedicated his life to ending that suffering. His concern for humanity is evident in his belief that all people are equal, all important, regardless of class, caste, race, religion, or sex.
Gandhi’s attempt to make a difference in the lives of all those who are suffering is a manifestation of his strong belief in the goodness of all humanity. His dedication to others shows that he did not think that people were inherently bad, but rather, just fumbling for something in which to invest their abilities, something to tie their life together, to grant meaning and happiness. By reflecting on the philosophy of Gandhi, we can gain a new perspective on the perplexities of life, and perhaps develop a new world-order that will deal more effectively with our fears and frustrations.
Gandhi’s object is the happiness and welfare of people, to be achieved by ending their age-old starvation, their ignorance and social disabilities, and helping them to gain a new social awareness. The wisdom of Gandhi is expressed in his search for truth, his insistence upon Ahimsa (non-violence), and his view of the universality of religion as he sees it. By reflecting upon the principles of Gandhi, perhaps it will be possible to gain a perspective on creating a new world-order that will lead to a future where wars are something that we only understand from reading our history books; where starvation is something that no human being must fear; where people are no longer oppressed regardless of race, religion, sex, or any other such consideration; and where the suffering of humans at the hands of others is no longer acceptable.
We all have many differences in the way that we view the world that may make it difficult to gain a consensus on how we should proceed in creating a new world order. Gandhi’s philosophy, however, may help us to gain some insight into this problem. He says,
How can we expect perfection from an imperfect being? A blind man has collected a band of other blind folk. But the blind man knows that he is blind, and also knows the cure for his blindness. Hence, though living with blind people, he is confident that he will not lead them into a pit, nor will he himself fall into it. He walks with the stick before taking every step. And, therefore, things have gone well on the whole so far. If, despite his using the stick, the blind man has occasionally strayed from the path, he has immediately realized his error and retraced his steps back to his co-workers. So long as my blindness remains, even a person like you who loves me will continue to have reasons to criticize me. When the blindness has disappeared, there will be no such grounds for criticism. Meanwhile, let all of us, blind men and women, who are seekers after truth, describe the elephant as we perceive it. Our descriptions will vary, but each will be perfectly true from the person’s limited point of view. After all, every one of us will have but touched the elephant. When our eyes open all of us will dance with joy and shout: ‘How blind we were! This is an elephant, about which we had read in the Gitª . How fortunate it would have been if our eyes had opened earlier.’
The Indian story that Gandhi refers to in the previous quote portrays a group of blind men surrounding an elephant, each feeling a different part of the elephant. Thus one feels the tail, one a leg, one a tusk, etc., and their descriptions varied depending on the part they were describing.
Every one has a different perception of the world due to the variety of cultures and experiences that influence how we perceive things. Gandhi thinks that if we acknowledge our differences and our blindness now, this will lead us to be open to correction and change of our views. He expresses the faith that someday we will know the Truth, but knowing that we don’t have that Truth yet also makes us hold our present views less obstinately.
Considering the teachings of Gandhi allows the world to view the philosophy of a man from a country where people have continually had to struggle for survival. Although western culture has certainly thrived at a much higher material level than the countries that we consider to be Third World nations, we nevertheless need to consider contributions made by a man such as Gandhi who represents one of the most oppressed cultures in the world. A new world-order may benefit by looking at the views and methods of those outside the dominant Western culture since there are other people in the world whose interests are also at stake.
Gandhi’s definition of "truth" will be viewed first in terms of the G§ tª ’s influence on Gandhi, and secondly, in terms of what truth consists of according to Gandhi. In the second part of this paper, I seek to understand Gandhi’s vision of ahimsa as a means to gain truth by exploring why Gandhi believed ahimsa was necessary in the attempt to gain truth. Finally, I explore whether Gandhi’s religious beliefs might lead to a greater tolerance among people of different religious backgrounds
.Truth
But for me, truth is the sovereign principle, which includes numerous other principles. This truth is not only truthfulness in word, but truthfulness in thought also, and not only the relative truth of our conception, but the Absolute Truth, the Eternal Principle, that is God. There are innumerable definitions of God, because His manifestations are innumerable. They overwhelm me with wonder and awe and for a moment stun me. But I worship God as Truth only. I have not yet found Him, but I am seeking after Him. I am prepared to sacrifice the things dearest to me in pursuit of this quest. Even if the sacrifice demanded be my very life, I hope I may be prepared to give it.[2]
Gandhi’s concept of truth is the central point of his philosophy. Gandhi must be viewed in terms of Hindu thought, since this is his main frame of reference, but this can create a great difficulty since Indian literature is voluminous. Fortunately for the rest of the world that does not have either the time or understanding to study the multitude of Indian literature one text stands apart: the Bhagavad-Gitª .
The Gitª was of great importance to Gandhi throughout his life and he often spoke of the spiritual strength he found within its pages. During his lifetime of experimenting with truth, he responded to what he found to be the intellectual vigour, emotional appeal, and spiritual depth of this great book. Therefore, it is important that the Western reader have an understanding of the Gita and its fundamental impact on Gandhi in order to understand Gandhi’s concept of truth. By first looking at the wisdom that Gandhi found embedded in the Gita and then reflecting upon the principle of truth according to Gandhi, perhaps it will be possible to gain a new perspective regarding truth as envisioned by a man who was not part of the dominant Western culture.
The Gitª is part of the great Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, and makes up about seven hundred and seventy of the hundred thousand verses found in this epic, which relates an eighteen day battle that pitted God against evil. In the Gita, God (Krishna) comes to help Arjuna in his struggle against the evil in the world. The Gita itself may be structurally divided into four different parts, which provide a quick overview of the text.
(1) At the start of the text, we are introduced to the crisis of Arjuna, the hero who represents the universal human condition. He is frozen and indecisive as to what he should do because duty calls him to war, but his opponents, the Kauravas, are his friends and cousins. He turns to his charioteer, who is Krishna, for advice. (Chapter 1)
(2) Krishna instructs Arjuna; Arjuna is taught Samkhya (a system of philosophy that stresses the difference between matter and spirit) and Yoga so that he might understand his dilemma, but he remains frozen. (Chapters 2-10)
(3) Krishna reveals his true self to Arjuna; this revelation has a great impact on Arjuna and moves him out of his frozen position. (Chapter 11).
(4) Krishna returns to his normal form and continues to instruct Arjuna; this is a kind of rehabilitation for Arjuna that helps him to interpret the revelation of Chapter 11, and shows him how to apply it to his life. (Chapter12-18)
[3]In the Indian tradition, there are three different schools of interpretation of the G§ tª that offer quite varied perspectives.
[4] The literal interpretation views the battle as a real battle; this reading was very popular during the time that India was trying to gain its freedom from the British. The allegorical interpretation contends that the battle being fought was not a real battle, but was a representation of the battle within the human spirit between good and evil. Finally, the activist interpretation was concerned with social action, focussing on passivity versus activism. This interpretation contends that Krishna is teaching people to be active and engage in the world. When Krishna says fight, he means that individuals should engage themselves.Gandhi’s interpretation combines the allegorical and the activist approach. He believed the G§ tª spoke of a battle within the human spirit between good and evil, as seen in the allegorical interpretation, and also that the G§ tª expressed the need for social action, as expressed in the activist interpretation. His interpretation of the Gita was consistent with his active, non-violent struggle to gain India’s independence from Britain. When Krishna sought to move Arjuna out of his frozen position, he was signaling him to take action. The insight that Gandhi finds in the Gita is exemplified in his life and ideas. When he saw injustice, he sought to correct it.
Gandhi also devotes a lot of attention to karma yoga, an idea expounded in the Gitª . Karma yoga is a practice in which one selflessly performs one’s duty without attachment to the fruits of one’s actions in order to gain union with God. In the third chapter of the G§ tª , Krishna warns Arjuna about the attachment to inaction, or the inability to respond with the depths of self to the demands of duty. In verse eight of the third chapter, Krishna says, "Do thou thine allotted work, for action is better than inaction; even the maintenance of the physical life cannot be effected without action."
[5] Not only does Gandhi embody these principles, but he draws on the words of Krishna to give us an example of the discipline of action along with the spiritualizing of everyday life.During Gandhi’s life of serving others, the goal of attaining moksa (liberation from the cycle of birth and death, known as "samsara") served as his inspiration. In the Indian tradition there are several paths to the attainment of moksa and Gandhi chose the path of karma yoga, yoga of action, acting in the world without attachment to the fruits or outcome of action. His service to those who were suffering was not done to gain glory or recognition. It was done without attachment to the praise or blame that might result from his actions.
Throughout his life, the world saw his constant devotion to God along with his many acts of selfless duty. From his early years in Africa until the time of his death, his entire life was spent in the service of others. He interpreted his duty as service to his people. He contended that, "This country, as also the world, is in need of true soldiers. Service of the country, service of the world, self-realization, vision of God—these are not separate things but different aspects of the same thing."
[6] Gandhi’s service to others, along with his commitment to action, understood as a kind of spiritual vocation, is what made him such a great soul for many.The Gitª had a strong impact on Gandhi’s life and shaped the path of his search for truth. This great text inspired Gandhi throughout his life; its influence on him is best expressed by himself
in his speech at Kashi Vishvavidyalaya, where he said,I learnt Sanskrit to enable me to read the Gitª . Today the Gitª is not only my Bible or my Koran; it is more than that—it is my mother. I lost my earthly mother who gave me birth long ago; but this eternal mother has completely filled her place by my side ever since. She has never changed, she has never failed me. When I am in difficulty or distress, I seek refuge in her bosom.
The G§ tª led Gandhi through times of distress, gave him comfort in the darkness, and helped to guide him in his search for truth. In unraveling his particular brand of truth, the Gita offered him an insight that was for him a philosophical and religious basis for his inspiration.
Gandhi’s perception of truth is an essential part of his philosophy. By examining the various aspects of his philosophy of truth, perhaps I can demonstrate what Gandhi’s brand of truth consists of. For him, truth entails: seeking the absolute yet personal truth; seeking truth in lifestyle; a willingness to challenge false social norms; recognizing when he fell short of truth and working to change himself; fervent devotion; seeking closeness to truth, purity, and Godliness; and asceticism, self-denial, and self-restraint. I will examine these in turn.
Gandhi’s commitment to finding truth gives us a clue as to what made this man so remarkable. His concept of an absolute yet personal truths has to do with his desire for a deeper realization of his own personal beliefs. In his autobiography, The Story of My Experiments With Truth, he recounts his various experiences in his search for truth. In this search, he is seeking to justify his beliefs concerning truth in his own mind, not justification from or to others. He expresses this by saying,
I have gone through deep self-introspection, searched myself through and through, and examined and analyzed every psychological situation. Yet I am far from claiming any finality or infallibility about my conclusions. One claim I do indeed make and it is this, for me they appear to be absolutely correct, and seem for the time being to be final. For if they were not, I should base no action on them. But at every step I have carried out the process of acceptance or rejection and acted accordingly. And so long as my acts satisfy my reason and my heart, I must firmly adhere to my original conclusions.
Gandhi isn’t trying to claim that he is absolutely right, but he is trying, experimenting, seeking to find the absolute yet personal truth. The second aspect of truth for Gandhi seeking truth.
The second aspect of truth for Gandhi, seeking truth in lifestyle, refers to living a lifestyle that is conducive to obtaining truth. During his life, he was faced with many obstacles that made it difficult for him to live the type of lifestyle that he viewed as necessary for obtaining truth. Perhaps one of the best illustrations of the adaptations that he made in his lifestyle was when he vowed to live the rest of his life as a celibate. In the Hindu tradition, a life of celibacy in the pursuit of self-discipline is referred to as brahmacharya. Gandhi believed that abstaining from sex would be more conducive to his search for truth. He took the vow of celibacy early in life in order to gain more self discipline in his attempt to gain the higher goal of truth. He maintained that for him, was something that he practiced to put himself in closer touch with the Infinite. To support this point, he says, "My brahmacharya knew nothing of the orthodox laws governing its observance. I framed my own rules as occasion necessitated."
[9]His concept of brahmacharya reflects his interpretation of the Gita’s teaching of ego self-versus-higher self. In order to achieve the higher self, which alone is capable of knowing Truth, one must distance oneself from the passions that are inherent in the ego. Gandhi’s seeking truth in lifestyle by observing celibacy was aimed not only at freeing himself from his passions, but also freeing his beloved wife from what he felt were his selfish demands on her body. He expresses this by saying, "My wife became a free woman, free from my authority as her lord and master, and I became free from my slavery to my own appetite which she had to satisfy."
[10] Throughout his life, there were many fundamental changes made in his lifestyle, of which celibacy is only one example.During Gandhi’s life, many people in India were not afforded the opportunity to share in human happiness and welfare because of the caste system, especially untouchability. Gandhi’s commitment to truth led him to challenge false social norms. Gandhi questioned the caste system in his search for truth and held that divisions made through caste and sex were unacceptable. The vision that he had for his country was one where no one would have to remain in the morass of ignorance and poverty. The subject of caste and untouchability will be addressed in more detail later in this paper. Here, I will look at his vision an ideal village.
My ideal village still exists in my imagination. After all every human being of his own imagination. In my dreams the villager will be full of awareness. like an animal in filth, and women will live in freedom, lives in the world this village of not be dull—He will not live darkness. Men and prepared to face the whole world. There will be no plague, no cholera and no smallpox.
Gandhi’s vision of an ideal village expresses his hope that his people can have freedom from disease and ignorance. It also does not divide people up in terms of class or sex but reflects a place where all people have freedom. According to a theme of the Hindu tradition, what we are is tman (the unchanging principle of life); as such, each person participates in the absolute true nature of things. Gandhi interpreted this to mean that since we are all tman, there can be no class or caste distinctions among people. Gandhi struggled for change in the caste system in the hope that such change would move society toward what he envisioned as being the true nature of things.
The fourth aspect of Gandhi’s perception of truth is his resolve to recognize when he falls short of truth and then working to change himself. He contends, "For, confession of error is like a broom that sweeps away dirt and leaves the surface cleaner than before, I feel stronger for my confession. And the cause must prosper for the retracing. Never has man reached his destination by persistence in deviation from the straight path."
[12] For Gandhi, holding fast to mistakes and short-sightedness would mean that he could have never moved forward in his search for truth. To admit when we choose the wrong path, allows us to work on changing ourselves.I am certain that there are many people who would like to contend that Gandhi contradicts himself at times and has little organization in his thought. Many of these are the result, however, of Gandhi’s attempt to recognize when he fell short of truth and then work to change himself. This was what Gandhi’s life of experimenting was all about. He knew that throughout his life he often made mistakes, but he wasn’t afraid to admit when he had failed. He continually searched for changes that would lead him closer to the truth. His brand of truth often defies analysis, since for him, one discovers truth, embodies it, and then applies it to every aspect of one’s life.
The fifth point that I wish to consider is fervent devotion in seeking truth. Throughout his life, Gandhi displays a fervent devotion in seeking truth. He exhibits this in his continual striving to realize truth in all areas of his life. His search for truth always remained his supreme priority, regardless of the circumstances in which he found himself. An example of this is his continual striving to create social change in India. Even when the obstacles seemed insurmountable, he never gave up. Without his inspired devotion to truth, many of the social injustices in India that he helped to eliminate might have persisted to this day.
Gandhi’s practice of seeking closeness to truth, purity, and Godliness, allows us an insight into his personal devotion to truth. It is possible to view his references to God and spirituality as a language used to express the lack of distinction between his humanistic values and his religious values. Gandhi says,
It [truth] is That which alone is, which constitutes the stuff of which all things are made, which subsists by virtue of its own power, which is not supported by anything else but supports everything that exists. Truth alone is eternal, everything else is momentary. It need not assume shape or form. It is pure intelligence as well as pure bliss. We call it Ishvara [Lord] because everything is regulated by Its will. It and the law It promulgates are one. Therefore it is not a blind law. It governs the entire universe.
His perception of God was a part of himself from within, not just something outside of himself that he was trying to obtain. He embodied this concept and sought to live as close to truth as he possibly could. When he refers to seeking closeness to truth, purity, and Godliness, he wants to establish the belief in "Truth as God".
Although this is important in establishing his concept of truth, I will deal with it much more thoroughly when I consider Gandhi’s religious beliefs.
And, lastly, Gandhi’s concept of truth entails asceticism, self-denial, and self-restraint. He lived the life of an ascetic in order that he would not be distracted by material things that might hinder his search for truth. Searching for truth was the most important pursuit in his life and he wanted to focus all of his attention on this end. His life as an ascetic also served to deny the lower self or the senses in the hope of detaching from the self and obtaining Atman, the unchanging principle of life, which is Reality and Truth itself.
Living his life in accordance with what he believed to be truth allowed Gandhi to find truth in his lifestyle. This afforded him a lifestyle that was spent on the pursuit of truth only. Gandhi recognized the fact that he fell short of truth but he worked to change himself. He would maintain that a new world-order where peace would reign supreme would have to start with each individual person.
Gandhi shows this by his determination to live his life according to what he felt to be true and thereby offers each individual a challenge to begin his or her own search for truth.
He also lived the life of the poor, so that he would be able to more clearly understand their problems. He lived his life in such a way as to have a great understanding of the everyday problems of his people. His concern for the poor was so deep that he wanted to be able to experience what they were experiencing, so that he would be able to help them in the problems that they faced. He held that it would be difficult to have a clear understanding of the suffering of others if your lifestyle was different from theirs. His life of self-restraint, self-denial, asceticism, along with his service to the poor, demonstrates the interconnections between social and spiritual goals in Gandhi’s life and thought.
If Gandhi’s principles concerning truth were taken as a foundation, a world-order would proceed in a new direction. If Gandhi’s perception of truth was adopted in creating a new world-order, would any person or group attempt to monopolize others? Would material gains be the top priority in people’s lives? Or would we be challenged to re-evaluate our priorities? Gandhi believed that if people were striving to attain truth, our priorities would change. Seeking power and material gains would seem frivolous. There would no longer be oppressed people in the world, since one of life’s goals would be to find truth, and thereby eliminate social injustices inflicted upon our brothers and sisters.
My examination of Gandhi’s concept of truth focused on his interpretation of the Gitª and the impact that this text had on his life and emphasized an analysis of the several components of his concept of truth. To continue our discussion of Gandhi’s philosophy as a foundation for a new world-order, I will proceed to a discussion of ahimsa. It is important to gain an understanding of Gandhi’s view ahimsa since it is an integral component of the truth for him.
Ahimsa
It is perhaps clear from the foregoing that without ahimsa it is not possible to seek and find Truth. Ahimsa and Truth are so intertwined that it is practically impossible to disentangle and separate them. They are like two sides of a coin, or rather of a smooth unstamped metallic disc. Who can say which is the obverse and which is the reverse? Nevertheless, ahimsa is the means and Truth is the end. Means to be means must always be within our reach, and so ahimsa becomes our supreme duty and Truth becomes God for us. If we take care of the means, we are bound to reach the end sooner or later. If we resolve to this, we shall have won the battle. Whatever difficulties we encounter, whatever apparent reveries we substain, we should not lose faith...
I will examine Gandhi’s concept of ahimsa in terms of his emphasis on ahimsa as the means for obtaining truth, while keeping in mind the question of a new world-order and my attempt to gain a view outside of the dominant Western culture. Perhaps the simplest way to describe ahimsa is to say that it means non-violence. Any observation of Western culture reveals the frequent use of violence as a means to an end. By viewing the central features of ahimsa according to Gandhi, I hope to demonstrate that ahimsa would be a more desirable means than violence.
For Gandhi, ahimsa is one of the greatest values that can be found in the Indian tradition. He found it very disturbing that such little value is often placed on human beings. It was disturbing to him to see the violent acts that people often committed against each other. In adhering to the principle of ahimsa, Gandhi practiced a lifestyle that entailed avoiding bad karma, adhering to non-violence, ending pain and suffering, behaving gently, and serving others. By discussing each of these issues in turn, I will show that Gandhi found a lot of his truth in ahimsa.
The first aspect that I will consider is the emphasis that Gandhi placed on practicing a lifestyle that entailed avoiding bad karma. Violence is often a common part of the lives of people all over the world. Gandhi found this to be true in India as well and this became a deep concern for him. The lower castes, untouchables, and women were severely oppressed in India during Gandhi’s life, and he recognized that this left people subject to a wide range of physical and mental abuses.
Gandhi’s vision of ahimsa allowed him to recognize the plight of those who were victims and to condemn the violence and oppression directed at them. For him, there is no license for committing himsa (violence). His concern for all life is reflected when he says,
To my mind the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being. I should be unwilling to take the life of a lamb for the sake of the human body. I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man.
Gandhi had a concern for all living creatures and his belief in ahimsa applied to all living beings.
In India, as well as the rest of the world, women have received very little protection by society. In India, women have long been under the legal control of men, which places them in a vulnerable position. Gandhi recognized the plight of women in his country and condemned the violence and oppression directed at them.
According to Indian cultural beliefs, it is evident that women possess bad karma for the very reason that they were born in the lowly position of being women. According to the Indian concept of karma, the universe or cosmos is governed by a mechanism that ensures that every act has a result that is causally dependent upon the act. The laws that govern karma insure that the result fits the cause in a moral sense. A bad act now causes the person sometime in the future (in this life or a subsequent one) to suffer a negative consequence. As a result of bad karma accumulated through a series of lives, some people are thought to be born into a less fortunate position in society. Women’s low social status is a manifestation of bad karma; conversely, only someone with bad karma would be born a woman.
In a similar way, the caste system of India was believed to reflect the bad karma of those of lower castes. Therefore, those of lower castes were looked down upon and were subject to a variety of abuses. Instead of rejecting those who were considered outcastes or untouchables by Indian society, Gandhi referred to the people who fell into this group as "Harijans (children of God)." Traditionally, the outcastes of society were avoided because of the fear that they were polluting. Their lowly place in society was thought to be a result of bad karma, and it was believed that contact with them could result in their bad karma polluting others in the manner of a contagion. Instead of worrying about the bad karma of others polluting him, Gandhi continually worked to strengthen his karma by helping those who were considered to be outside the caste system. He believed that good karma could be accumulated through helping others and that this would be of benefit in his spiritual life. His strong belief in karma led him to try to undo some of the bad karrna that he might have accumulated and to acquire good karma by helping others. He states, "Although I believe in the inexorable law of karma I am striving to do so many things; every moment of my life is a strenuous endeavor which is an attempt to build up more karma, to undo the past and add to the present.
[16] The way in which Gandhi sought to avoid bad karma and acquire good karma directed his attention to the suffering of women and lower castes. His work to change the traditional taboos surrounding women and lower castes was "good" work, which would have "good" spiritual consequences for him. He also, however, believed that these social injustices manifested an 11 untruth", which his devotion to Truth urged him to challenge.By studying the values of many of the great books of India, especially the Gitª , Gandhi found that the real nature of man and woman consists in the tman, a sex-less soul. Gandhi believed that if the Indian concept of Atman views women as essentially the same as man, there could be no justification for the violent acts committed against women.
[17] Throughout his teachings, Gandhi adhered to this stream of sex-blind thought found in the Hindu scriptural classics, and led a powerful social movement in India that sought to remove the stigma associated with being a woman.Many people who belonged to the higher castes and possessed power in Indian society have used the concept of karma as a justification to abuse and oppress the less fortunate. They used the fear of pollution, that the outcastes were thought to possess because of bad karma, in their eagerness to retain power and position in society. Gandhi believed that to treat the less fortunate as inferior was inconsistent with the goal of accumulating good karma because he considered the cruelty directed at outcastes to be bad and felt that the result would be bad karma for those who abused the lower classes. Those who behaved in such a way were not properly considering the ramifications of their own actions. Again, Gandhi’s struggle to gain good karma strengthened his commitment to help others.
Throughout Gandhi’s life of experimenting with truth, his dedication to non-violence remained one of his top priorities. This is the second point of my discussion on ahimsa. Even though Gandhi regarded non-violence to be the means for finding truth, he often found difficulty in developing his philosophy of non-violence. For example, he was living under the protection of the British Navy during the time of World War I. As a consequence of this protection, he felt he had certain responsibilities to the British that were inconsistent with his thoughts on non-violence. Although Gandhi strongly believed in ahimsa, he felt he was incapable of stopping the war and was therefore obligated to fulfill his duty to assist the British war effort. He says, "When two nations are fighting, the duty of a votary of ahimsa is to stop the war. He who is not equal to that duty, he who has no power of resisting war, he who is not qualified to resist war, may take part in war, and yet wholeheartedly try to free himself, his nation and the world from war."
[18] He believed that he was morally and spiritually incapable applying his belief in non-violence as he felt that it should be applied. Hence, he found himself in a personal struggle between his duty to Britain and his belief in non-violence.Gandhi continually sought non-violence throughout his life and progressively gained a deeper insight into and a stronger foundation for his beliefs concerning ahimsa. Although the world cannot be totally free of himsa, since the very process of living involves some destruction of life, Gandhi believes that society can move in a direction that would be conducive to non-violence. On the other hand, Gandhi believes that if we continue to adhere to symbols of violence, seeking violence as a means to attain our desired end, we cannot expect to find the ahimsa that Gandhi sought. He states, "If you go to the house of one who has use for violence you will find his drawing-room decorated with tigers’ skins, deers’ horns, swords, guns and such like. I have been to the Viceregal Lodge, I also saw Mussolini. In the houses of both I found arms hanging on the walls. I was given a salute with arms, a symbol of violence."
[19] By looking at the present situation in the world, we can see that by continually building up arms, any new world order that might be created will also create violence since, if Gandhi is right, such arms produce violence.Non-violence is not a show of weakness, but rather, a show of strength. His courage and that of those who followed him was evident in the great Salt March, in their willingness to take blows without delivering them and to get up to continue on in their active non-violent struggle against the British. Throughout the history of both East and West, members of the human race have been challenged to display acts of bravery. This has especially been true for men since their manhood has been thought to rest on such acts.
Although Gandhi never intended his pursuit of an active non-violent struggle against Britain to be perceived as an act of bravery, his actions display a courage that has amazed those with a traditional concept of courage. The gentle courage of Gandhi demonstrates how destructive and unnecessary our violence often is in obtaining a solution to our conflicts. Changes can be made without resorting to physical force and the results can offer greater satisfaction for all the participants. As I mentioned in the discussion of the Gita, Gandhi was committed to action rather than inaction. Because of his belief in ahimsa, his strength was not found, however, in the ability to carry weapons.
The third aspect of Gandhi's vision of ahimsa entails ending pain and suffering. Ending the pain that is inflicted on one person by another allows people the opportunity to seek intellectual development and pursue social avocations. Gandhi maintained that life should not consist of violence, either physical or mental. Rather, it should be a comradeship of equals, a joint adventure in the enrichment of society and the enjoyment of its delights. The world as we know it today, however, is a place where people often fear for their very lives and do not share in the welfare and happiness that should be the right of every individual.
Gandhi also brings the question of ending pain into a more personal realm when he considers whether it is the enemy outside ourselves we are fighting, or whether it is the enemy within ourselves. Gandhi writes,
It appears that the impossibility of full realization of truth in this mortal body led some ancient seeker after truth to the appreciation of ahimsa. The question which confronted him was: Shall I bear with those who create difficulties for me, or shall I destroy them?' The seeker realized that he who went on destroying others did not make headway but simply stayed where he was, while the man who suffered those who created difficulties marched ahead and at times took others with him. The first act of destruction taught him that truth which was the object of his quest was not outside himself but within. Hence the more he took to violence, the more he receded from truth. For in fighting the imagined enemy without, he neglected the enemy within.
Gandhi here relates his belief that harboring ill will against others or actually fighting with them creates bad karma for oneself. He believed that we are all brothers and sisters and instead of using violence against our enemy, we should use patience to win them over.
As I mentioned above, women were viewed as possessing bad karma and this made them easy targets for placing blame. If a man was tempted to commit adultery, should the blame be placed on the woman who was attractive to him? This was a common approach in India. According to Gandhi, a man in that situation should look at the evil within himself in order to find the source of his enemy. It is not the woman who is his enemy, but his own lustfulness.
Gandhi also discusses Western civilization and some of the problems that he views in Western culture. Gandhi contends that many of the ideals of Western civilization are conducive to greed and hatred, and this results in pain for many individuals. Do people in Western societies need to look deeper within themselves for the enemy as well? On Western civilization, Gandhi comments,
By Western civilization I mean the ideals which people in the West have embraced in modern times and the pursuits based on these ideals. The supremacy of brute force, worshipping money as God, spending most of one's time in seeking worldly happiness, breathtaking risks in pursuit of worldly enjoyments of all kinds, the expenditure of limitless mental energy on efforts to multiply the power of machinery, the expenditure of crores on the invention of means of destruction, the moral righteousness which looks down upon people outside Europe,— this civilization, in my view, deserves to be altogether rejected.
Gandhi’s view of Western civilization suggests the need for a reappraisal of some of our beliefs and values. He questions the means that are used in western culture to obtain what we want. In his view, these beliefs and values should be rejected.
If a society is consumed by only hedonistic concerns, then the pain of others remains in the shadows. To be consumed with obtaining power and pleasure eventually leads to destructive behaviors that Gandhi felt should be avoided. Gandhi lived a life that acknowledged the pain of others while seeking to end their pain instead of spending his life in the pursuit of his own pleasures and satisfaction. It should be pointed out again that Gandhi lived the life of the poor, traveled third class, owned nothing, all by choice. His life of experimenting showed him that true happiness can never be gained when a person is in the midst of others who are in pain.
The fourth aspect that is essential to understanding what ahimsa means to Gandhi is gentleness. He contends that gentleness is an essential attribute of ahimsa. His gentleness is shown by the symbol he chooses to represent non-violence, the charkha. The charkha is a spinning wheel which, for Gandhi, represents all those who are poor, abused, and caught in the injustice that the oppressed often experience in society.
[22]Throughout history, the charkha has been associated with the poor, and symbolized the violence and oppression that was directed at the poor. Since violence has often been directed at those least able to defend themselves, Gandhi felt that the charkha was the perfect symbol to represent his quest for ahimsa. By choosing this symbol, Gandhi reflects both the gentleness he felt toward those who were suffering and the importance of gentleness in achieving ahimsa. He also felt that the spinning wheel represented self-sufficiency for the poor. Gandhi used the spinning wheel to make his own clothing and in this sense he was not dependent upon others to furnish him the material for clothing.
The charkha became important to Gandhi during the years when he was seeking to gain India’s independence from Britain. Not only did he work toward leading his people in an active non-violent struggle against the British, but he maintained that the people of India must become self-sufficient. Millions of his followers used the charkha for economic self-sufficiency and to boycott the British textile monopoly. This had a great impact because if the people remained dependent upon Britain for their survival, they could never expect to gain their independence. when referring to the charkha as the emblem of non-violence, Gandhi says,
The task of proving the superiority of non-violence is a difficult task. We have to fathom its depths if we are to realize its truth. I have always supported all that I have said so far. The world is going to put me to the test. It may declare me a fool for my tall talk about the charkha. The task of making the charkha, which for centuries had been a symbol of poverty, helplessness, injustice and forced labour, the symbol now of mighty non-violent strength, of the new social order and of the new economy, has fallen on our shoulders. We have to change history. And I want to do it through you.
The symbol that Gandhi chose reflects the gentleness he felt toward those who were suffering in his country. The charkha symbolized the oppressed, those who have suffered deeply.
The fifth and final aspect that I will consider regarding Gandhi's concept of ahimsa is service to others. Gandhi had a high regard for serving others as part of his life of experimenting with truth and ahimsa. In living a life that was filled with non-violence, he believed that it is important to exalt and serve others and not be just a self-serving creature. He demonstrated this throughout his life by his service to his people first in Africa and later in the country of his birth, India. Gandhi relates the importance of serving others by saying,
Our capacity for service has obvious limits. We can serve even our neighbour with some difficulty. If every one of us duly performed his duty to his neighbour, no one in the world who needed assistance would be left unattended. Therefore one who serves his neighbour serves all the world. As a matter of fact there is in swadeshi [boycott of foreign made goods] no room for distinction between one's own and other people. To serve one's neighbour is to serve the world. Indeed it is the only way open to us of serving the world. One to whom the whole world is as his family should have the power of serving the universe without moving from his place. He can exercise this power 24 only through service rendered to his neighbour.
If a new world-order was created that endorsed serving others, even in a small way, oppressed, suffering, and hungry people in the world would no longer exist. Even though he endorsed swadeshi, a boycott of goods not made in India, he still maintained that there should be no distinction made between people in your own culture and those from a different culture. He maintained that if everyone were to help out those around them, everyone in the world would benefit.
Gandhi believed that exalting and serving others allowed them an opportunity to maintain their freedom. His concept of service did not entail allowing others to become dependent, which would rob them of their freedom, but, rather, teaching, instructing, and providing the means for obtaining self-sufficiency. There is a very fine line between offering freedom and brutal domination, depending upon the conditions that you set on those you serve. Gandhi sought to create a social context where the people of India would not be robbed of their freedom by being dependent upon the British or any other foreign power.
During his life, Gandhi demonstrated that it is our responsibility to live our life in such a way as to assess the outcome of our actions. Throughout his life, he tried to take responsibility for his actions and he realized the effect that his actions had on those around him. Because of his dedication to ahimsa, Gandhi made a significant change in the lives of untouchables, women and other oppressed groups in his country, not to mention gaining the independence of India. If the world is indeed standing upon the brink of a new world-order, Gandhi's vision of ahimsa demonstrates the strength of non-violence.
Religion
My Hinduism is not sectarian. It includes all that I know to be best in Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and Zoroastrianism. I approach politics as everything else in a religious spirit. Truth is my religion and ahimsa is the only way of its realization.
Throughout the teachings of Gandhi, there is a respect for plurality and a plea for tolerance in all areas of thought. I will examine Gandhi's beliefs concerning religion and consider the practical utility that could be gained from his beliefs in creating a new world order. As expressed earlier, Gandhi admits that he does not have the absolute truth, but only the truth as he sees it. This is not only true in his philosophy on truth and ahimsa, but in his religious beliefs as well.
Candhi’s life of experimenting led him to a study of many of the great religions of the world in the hope of finding the absolute truth in religion. I will show that the universality of Gandhi’s religion leads into a realm of religious thought that might serve to bring people of different religious persuasions closer together. Given the enormous problems resulting from religious clashes in the world, a new perspective on religion might help in resolving future clashes.
The religious beliefs of Gandhi include: a preference for the beginnings of the great world religions and an identification of their basic teachings; the acceptance of a plurality of religions; a greater tolerance among people of different beliefs; belief in God as truth; and the importance of religion in society.
The first aspect of Gandhi’s religious beliefs that I will address is a look at his view of the beginnings of some of the great world religions and their teachings. Gandhi contends that during the course of the many years that separate us from the beginnings of the world religions, we have lost sight of the teachings of the great masters, the nature of their humanity, and the depth of their compassion. Speaking of Christianity, Gandhi says, "...I mean going back to real Christianity, to Christ, not Western Christianity."
[26] Because of Gandhi’s dedication to finding truth in religion and his love of humanity, he found that he not only loved Hinduism, but he also realized a love of the Buddha, Mohammed, and Christ, along with other great world figures who had a sincere concern for truth, non-violence, peace, and harmony throughout the world.The important thing for Gandhi wasn’t the path that a person chose, but rather the truth, enlightenment, or fulfillment that a person found along the path that gives each path religious meaning. With the love expounded by religious teachers, Gandhi could not understand the hate, greed, and contempt that people of different religions felt for those who were not "just like us". He questioned where the peace, love, and compassion of Jesus, the Buddha, and other great religious leaders had gone in times of trial and tribulation. When faced with adverse circumstances, these religious men did not resort to cruelty. Gandhi says,
When Jesus described his times as a generation of vipers, it was not out of anger. At a time when everyone was afraid of telling the truth, Jesus risked his life, described hypocrisy, pride and lying in plain terms for what they were and so put innocent and simple folk on their guard, and saved them. When the Buddha, with the lamb on his shoulder went up to the cruel Brahmins who were engaged in an animal-sacrifice, it was in so soft language that he spoke to them; he was, however, all love at heart.
Allowing that the paths of the world religions have been distorted by those who have power within the various religious institutions makes the path more difficult to adhere to, according to Gandhi. His concern was to remind the world of the love, compassion and equality taught by religious teachers that has so often been neglected by their followers.
The dominant western culture has laid claim to having the only ‘true’ religion and they have used this claim to suggest that those outside the Western belief in Christianity are inferior. Gandhi contended that, "For though we sang, ‘All glory to God on high and on the earth be peace,’ there seems to be today neither glory to God nor peace on earth."
[28] He felt that if we recaptured and lived the teachings of our religion, we could live in peace and harmony.In his search for truth and ahimsa, Gandhi developed a love for the teachings of Jesus. The words that Jesus spoke in the Sermon on the Mount expressed the beauty that Gandhi had found in the Gita earlier in his life and he says, "It is that Sermon which has endeared Jesus to me."
[29] He maintained that although Jesus did not come to earth for the purpose of changing the old mosaic law, there were great changes that ensued. Gandhi states, "He changed it so that it became a new law, not an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, but to be ready to receive two blows when one was given, and to go two miles when you were asked to go one."[30] This was a great change from the old Mosaic laws for Gandhi, because Jesus sought to end violence and chose to use non-violence as a means.Although Gandhi chose Hinduism, he had a pluralistic view towards religion. He states, "...there are some well-marked roads, and it is safe to walk along the beaten tracks, trod by the ancient teachers."
[31] Gandhi recognized that not everyone will choose the same path and unlike many people, he did not contend that his path was the only path. His belief that all paths led to the same goal allowed him to appreciate the religions of others ) regardless of whether he accepted all of the doctrines expounded by the various religions.Not only did the study of other religions allow him to appreciate the beliefs of others, it also allowed him to gain a deeper insight into his own religious beliefs. The study of other religions did not result in confusion, but rather it enriched his own belief. When speaking of the Buddha, Gandhi expresses the personal fulfillment that he found in the Buddha's teachings. Again he warns about the emphasis religion has placed on the historical figure rather than the real meaning of the teachings. He states,
...Do not limit even the real Buddha by your own conception of ‘Buddha.’ He could not have ruled the lives of millions of men that he did and does today if he was not humble enough to pray.
He is saying also that without the striving to find what the Buddha found, along with prayer, those who call themselves BuddhistSlack the real meaning of Buddhism because they do not practice what the Buddha taught. The same holds true for Christians who have never found the nature of Christ in their own lives, Taoists who are not part of the Tao, as well as those in other religions who have not embedded the teachings into their lives. He goes on to say,
There is something infinitely higher than intellect that rules us and even the sceptics. Their scepticism and philosophy does not help them in critical periods of their lives. They need something better, something outside them that can sustain them. And so if someone puts a conundrum before me, I say to him, ‘You are not going to know the meaning of God or prayer unless you reduce yourself to a cipher.’ You must be humble enough to see that in spite of your greatness and gigantic intellect you are but a speck in the universe. A merely intellectual conception of the things of life is not enough. It is the spiritual conception which eludes the intellect, and which alone can give one satisfaction. Even monied men have critical periods in their lives; though they are surrounded by everything that money can buy and affection can give, they find [themselves] at certain moments in their lives utterly distracted. It is in these moments that we have a glimpse of God, a vision of Him who is guiding every one of our steps in life.
Gandhi wants the world to recognize tha t not everything can be explained by reason alone. In his attempt to find insight into the teachings of the world religions, he came to believe that spirituality was [at least] as important as the intellect. Without the use of spirituality, one would not experience what Jesus, the Buddha, and others had experienced.
The second aspect of Gandhi's religion is his striving for the acceptance of plurality of religions. Gandhi challenges the world to develop a unity that will recognize the fact that regardless of whether we are rich or poor, black or white, we all bleed when we are cut, cry when we are hurt, and smile when we are happy. As the opening quote stated, he accepted the things in every religion that he felt had something important to offer. He recognized the importance that every religion held for those who practiced it. When I think of Gandhi's acceptance of plurality in religion, I imagine each religion to be like a musical instrument. Each has an important role to play in the larger whole of the great orchestra. For some people, the violin is the instrument that they hear and this is their guide, and for others it is the trumpet. In Gandhi's case, he hears notes from many instruments and finds joy in them all. What he wants us to recognize, however, is that regardless of which instrument you hear, it is important to realize that all are important in making the great orchestra complete.
In advocating acceptance and plurality among the religions, he wants us to realize that we are all players in this world. He says,
When I was turning over the pages of the sacred books of different faiths for my own satisfaction, I became sufficiently familiar for my purpose with Christianity, Islam, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Hinduism. In reading these texts, I can say that I felt the same regard for all these faiths although, perhaps, I was not conscious of it. Reviving my memory of those days, I do not find I ever had the slightest desire to criticize any of those religions merely because they were not my own...
Gandhi’s study of religion exemplifies the fact that his approach to religion is open to the beliefs of others. His open-minded approach to other religions allowed him to find value instead of only criticisms. Some may argue that the road to spirituality is laden with subjectivity, and cannot be made into an objective whole for all to view in the same light. Even though each of us has a different perception of religion, Gandhi shows that an understanding of others can be found in an open-minded study of their religion. Gandhi continues here to say,
Some things which I did not understand first have since become as clear as daylight. Equimindedness helps us to solve many difficulties and even when we criticize anything, we express ourselves with a humility and courtesy which leave no sting behind them.
The tolerance of others’ religions that he envisioned gave him hope for peace and harmony in the world. He wanted people to be conscious of the fact that though everyone does not choose the same path, and may therefore not be "just like us", they could be respected.
Gandhi appreciated the guidance of others. He learned from the words of Jesus, the Buddha, Mohammad, and other great religious teachers. He says,
And the more I think of fundamental religion, and the more I think of miraculous conceptions of so many teachers who have come down from age to age and clime to clime, the more I see that there is behind them the eternal truth that I have narrated. That needs no label or declaration. It consists in the living of life never ceasing, ever progressing towards peace.
Gandhi did not feel that assimilating all the great values of the world meant that one must abandon one’s own path, give up one’s own beliefs and values, and accept all the teachings of others. But, rather, to him it meant emerging stronger than before by learning from other cultures, freeing oneself from the morass of ignorance about others’ beliefs, and embracing all humanity.
The third point that is of great importance for Gandhi is greater tolerance. Viewing the ongoing disputes between the Hindus and Muslims in his country, he recognized that there could be no peace and harmony in India as long as each group tried to separate itself from other groups. He knew that they all had to share the same country and that it was the responsibility of each of them to take care of it. In order to provide for the happiness and welfare of all the people in India, they were going to have to work together. Furthermore, he knew that this goal could not be attained as long as people were viewed in terms of their sex, race, religion, or culture. He expressed this by stating,
Caste distinctions have taken such deep roots that they have infected the Muslims, Christians and others. It is true that there are class distinctions in more or less degree in all the religions from which one has to conclude that that failing is inherent in every human being. We can cleanse ourselves of that failing only by pure dharma [religion, moral law, or duty]. I have not found sanction for such distinctions between high and low in any scriptures. In the eyes of religion all men are equal. An educated, intelligent and affluent man is not better than an ignorant, stupid and poor man.
In my earlier discussion on untouchability, I showed that Gandhi believed that there is no room for class distinctions. This is important to his discussion on religion because of the emphasis he places on the equality of everyone in religion. He held that people must be viewed as people, their sex as either male or female which makes up the human race, their race as merely the shade of their skin, their religion as the path they have chosen, and their culture as the beliefs and values they were taught as a child.
According to Gandhi, the teaching of religion is that all people are equal; we are all God’s children; we must work together to end the suffering of all people. On September 22, 1924, he wrote a letter that related his distress over the fighting between Hindus and Muslims who had previously worked together for India’s independence. Referring to this situation he states,
To revile one another’s religion, to make reckless statements, to utter untruth, to break the heads of innocent men, to desecrate temples or mosques, is a denial of God. The world is watching—some with glee and some with sorrow—the dogfight that is proceeding in our midst. We have listened to Satan. Religion—call it by what you like— is made of sterner stuff. The penance of Hindus and Mussalmans is not fasting but retracing their steps. It is true penance for a Mussalman to harbour no ill for his Hindu brother and equally true penance for a Hindu to harbour none for his mussalman brother.
Gandhi experienced sadness over the fighting between Hindus and Muslims because he believed this type of behavior had no place in religion.
The fifth aspect for Gandhi is that his religion includes his belief in "God of truth." His perception of God had a profound impact on his own personal spirituality. For him, "God of truth" could also be expressed by saying "truth" of "God" since for him, they were the same thing. He relates this by saying,
A lover of truth feels undiminished joy till the end of his life. He never regards himself as too old to keep striving for a vision of God of Truth. He who undertakes every activity in order to see God, also called Truth, who sees Truth in everything [that exists] will not find old age an obstacle [in his quest]. So far as that quest is concerned, the seeker regards himself as immortal and for ever young.
Gandhi believed that God had many manifestations and truth was the one he sought. Therefore, he worshipped God as truth since truth was the absolute or ultimate principle for him. Throughout his live, Gandhi never gave up his search for truth. He continued to hold onto the strength that he found in his vision of truth. He sought to act on the truth as he knew it in order to strengthen his own spirituality while hoping that his perception of truth would eventually lead him to the absolute truth.
The sixth and final aspect that needs to be addressed when looking at Gandhi’s conception of religion is the strong impact that religion has had on society throughout history. During the years that Gandhi spent fighting untouchability, he was faced with the religious justification that was used by society to endorse the caste system and untouchability. He tried to gain a new perspective on the suffering that was associated with the caste system and untouchability in reconstructing society and religion. He says,
But I make bold to suggest that, in reconstructing life in Bihar, if the wisest use is to be made of the help that is being sent, the organizers would have resolutely to set their faces against reproducing evil customs and habits. They may not encourage untouchability or caste divisions unperceivably based on untouchability. Nature has been impartial in her destruction. Shall we retain our partiality—caste against caste, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Parsi, Jew, against one another—in reconstruction, or shall we learn from her the lesson that there is no such thing as untouchability as we practice it today?
Gandhi dedicated his life to changing injustice in his country’s religious teachings and in Indian society as a whole. Without such change, he realized that there was very little chance of peace and harmony in India.
Any search for a new world-order must consider religion since people’s religious beliefs have long had a great impact on their cultures. Although Hinduism is not generally known in the West, Gandhi has allowed us an insight into some of the teachings of his religion that could have a positive impact on the creation of a new world order. Gandhi's religious teachings constitute an alternative approach to religion in which there would be no dominant religion associated with any group of people. His religious beliefs stress tolerance and acceptance of plurality among the great world religions.
In conclusion, Gandhi’s vision for a new world-order is one direction that the world might consider in constructing a new world-order. Gandhi's vision calls for peace to be the top priority, non-violence the path, truth the end, and tolerance among religions the goal. If one seriously considered his teachings concerning truth, ahimsa, and religion, the search for a new world-order could be guided in an entirely different direction from the present condition.
In considering the contributions made by Gandhi, we need to keep in mind that he does not say that anyone should blindly follow him. Gandhi comments on this by saying, "I should like the reader to draw the moral that he should never take anything for gospel truth even if it comes from a Mah~ tma unless it appeals to both his head and heart."
[41] Gandhi attempts to offer people guidance, point them in what he believes is the right direction, and offer them inspiration, but he holds that the path cannot be found in others, and must be experienced for oneself.Gandhi’s life of experimentation with truth shows us the importance he placed on finding truth for himself. My view of this is that we all possess the ability to search for truth, and perhaps find some truth in our lives. what I see, however, is that people are looking for someone or something to give them answers, depending on the others and not upon themselves. When I reflect on Gandhi’s search for truth, I visualize within each of us a diamond waiting to be discovered; it is there, but we must find it ourselves. Gandhi was serious in his search for truth and began the search within himself. He also actively engaged himself in active experiments in politics and social change. The more he searched, the brighter the diamond of truth that he was searching for became to him and the more it shone to the rest of the world.
On January 30th, 1948, Mohandas K. Gandhi died as the result of violence. A young assassin’s bullet ended the life of a man who had dedicated himself to ending acts of violence. Although violence may have ended the life of Gandhi, it has far from killed Gandhism. For those who search for peace, the philosophy of Gandhi continues to have much to offer. Gandhi reminds us that, "...they might kill me but they cannot kill Gandhism. If Truth can be killed Gandhism can be killed. If non-violence can be killed Gandhism can he killed. For what is Gandhism but winning swaraj [self-government in the sense both of political national independence and personal self-mastery] by means of truth and non-violence ?"
[42]Is it time for the world to move in a new direction? I think so. I am tired of seeing the havoc that those who are in power direct at those who are weaker, and the havoc that those who are weaker direct at the strong in an attempt to gain power. I choose the vision for a new world-order as expounded by Gandhi. He offers the world a direction based on his beliefs of truth, ahimsa, and religion.
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Notes
[1] Mohandas K. Gandhi, "Letter to Premabehn Kantak," Vol. XLIX, pp. 156-58, cited by Martin Green, ed., Gandhi in India, In His Own Words (Hanover and London: University Press of New England, 1987), pp. 167-68. [2] Mohandas K. Gandhi, Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth (Boston, Mass: Beacon Press, 1957), P.xiii. [3] John M. Koller, ed., The Indian Way (New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1982), pp.189-210. [4] Robert Minor, ed., Modern Indian Interpreters of the Bhagavad Gita (Albany, New York: State University of New York Press, 1986), pp.4-6. [5] Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Charles A. Moore, ed., A Source Book in IndianPhilosophy (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1957), p.113. [6] Gandhi, "Soul of the Ashram," Vol. XXXVI, pp.279-81, cited by Green, p.88. [7] M. K. Gandhi, Select Speeches, ed., B. K. Ahluwalia (New Delhi, India: Sagar Publications, 1969), p.281, Speech at Kashi Vishvavidyalaya, Banaras. [8] Gandhi, Autobiography, xiii.Selected Bibliography
Ahluwalia, B.K., ed. Selected Speeches. New Delhi, India: Sagar Publications, 1969.
Gandhi, Mohandas K. Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth. Boston, Mass: Beacon Press, 1957.
Green, Martin, ed. Gandhi in India, In His Own Words. Hanover and London: University Press of New England, 1987.
Koller, John M., ed. The Indian Way. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1982.
Minor, Robert, ed. Modern Indian Interpreters of the Bhagavad Gita. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press, 1986.