Mahatma Gandhi

Reformer or Traditionalist?

Gandhi.

•Shrewd politician, interested in Indian independence, and creating Indian identity.

•Pious Hindu, keen to maintain traditional and spiritual values, yet at the same time recognising severe difficulties.

Non-Indian Influences.

Leo Tolstoy.Christian

campaigner who emphasised the importance of the teaching of

in Christianity. Influenced

satyagraha.

But love your enemies, do good to

them, and lend to them without

expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be

great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to

the ungrateful and wicked.

Christian teaching of

“Divine Love”; that Christians

should put everyone else first, trying to

love everyone as God does;

without favour or judgement.

Henry David Thoreau

American environmentalist

& political thinker. Author

of “On civil disobedience”.

Influenced Gandhi’s non-cooperation. In wildness is the

preservation of the world; so seek the

wolf in thyself

Indian Influences.

Bhagavad Gita Krishna’s dialogue with Arjuna on the battlefield. Gandhi

interprets his advice as

allegory; the struggle against

the ego is what is important. Don’t put yourself first!

Indian Influences

The Jain religion developed the idea

of ahimsa; absolute non-violence to all

things. Exemplified by Digambara

(skyclad) monks who wear masks & carry brooms so as

not to harm creatures.

Satyagraha

• Although a key point of Gandhi’s teaching, this is influenced by other Indian thinkers. Sikhs say that “God’s name is truth” (Sat nam), which is reminiscent of Gandhi’s statement that “God is truth, Truth is God”.

• Basic idea is that Truth has an inherent force, if you are on the side of truth then you cannot lose!