2. Introduction
Gandhi consisted of an Indian political leader, who instigated and motivated
India’s independence from the British government. Nonetheless, he was not
renowned for his political status – for, with resilience, justice, defiance, he
protruded – as a spiritual leader of the Indian people. Gandhi’s beliefs are
generally derived form Hindu and Jain beliefs, prioritising truth as the ‘God’,
or the most significant principle of him (Gandhism). Gandhi’s teachings,
beliefs, and virtues encapsulate various aspects, with subsequent branches of
each aspect: Satyagraha, and Satya - The ardent pursuit of truth, and truth
itself; Ahimsa - the notion of non-violence and vegetarianism; Brahmacharya
– Spiritual and Practical Purity, and Asceticism; Equality etc. Gandhi’s beliefs
are generally derived from Hindu and Jain beliefs, prioritising truth as the
‘God’, or the most significant principle of him (Gandhism).
3. Introduction
Nonetheless, in order to truly interpret such an enigmatic, virtuous and
prominent spiritual figure, it is highly essential of one to conceive of his
beliefs, which shall be further elaborated in the subsequent pages,
preliminarily to any further discourse or conclusions established regarding
him.
6. Satya
Satya consists of a Sanskrit term illustrating the notion of truth and
‘goodness’, which, according to Hindu beliefs, consists of the sole
pathways to the Ultimate Truth – The Sat, or the transcendental
Absolute Truth in Christians’ perspective. The hypothetical and
philosophical symbolisation of Satya, and based on which
Gandhi employed the most to reiterate and reinforce the causes why
Satya is to be pursued and acknowledged, constitutes the notion that
Satya never alters, succumbs to distortions, be subject to moderations;
it is beyond distinctions of time, space, and person, evading the
dynamic states of the universe, and remaining a constant and
perpetual truth. In spite of the fact that Satya, at an indeed most
comparatively insignificant and minuscule scale, consists of the
benevolent deployment of the truth to assist others, the notion of
7. Satya
truth is not merely or solely a synonym or insinuation of fact or
correctness – for it comprises and encapsulates righteousness,
conscience, and true enlightenment of a superior level, which
nevertheless does not resemble the acknowledgement of a Supreme
Being’s omnipotence, but purity of the soul, and the conception of the
universal Absolute Truth – involving metaphysical matters in which
the existence of the universe is perused and examined philosophically.
Satya, in other relatively subtle contexts, also implies general religious
superiority, as indicated through Satya’s being conventionally
conceived by various Eastern religions – Hinduism, Buddhism, and
Jainism – as indispensable and prominent notions.
8. Gandhi’s Satya
‘The
Truth is far more powerful than any
weapon of mass destruction.’ – Gandhi
on Satya
9. Gandhi’s Satya
The principle of Satya, as conceived by Gandhi, consists of a notion that
transcends all levels and aspects of human comprehension. Gandhi did not
consider himself to be a pacifist, socialist or on any definable spectrum of
politics, yet only proclaimed that he adhered to the truth, or Satya, of life, a
trait of his derived from which were his perseverant and ardent Satyagrahas –
non-violent protests advocating Satya through Ahimsa. Nonetheless, Gandhi
does not perceive of truth as the absolute solution to metaphysical matters,
but truth that influences and involves one from one’s subjective perspective.
Gandhi demands and requires that his disciples do not necessarily abide by
his ‘truths’ by word, yet by spirit – should one genuinely and authentically
evaluates that violence is, under certain occasions, mandatory and inevitable,
it is truthful, and righteously corresponding to Satya to believe in it.
10. Gandhi’s Satya
Gandhi’s lifestyle constituted his constant experimentations with truth; he was
prepared to learn through trial and error, often conceding to have committed mistakes
and altering his behaviour accordingly. He would prioritise truth over political
independence— believing that Indians should not become murderers and commit the
very malevolence they were accusing the British of perpetrating in India. Gandhi’s
most prominent beliefs also encapsulated and comprised his pursuit of truth, which
actually consisted of the main core of his notions, Gandhi conceiving of his life as a
journey to discovering his subjective, arbitrary, yet ‘righteous’ truth. Satya consisted of
Gandhi’s teachings, and the ‘intent’ of his whole life - to examine and comprehend for
oneself, acknowledging the significance of others, and of truth, which, according to
Gandhi, connoted a force greater than any mechanisms or forces. Gandhi’s philosophy
encompassed ontology and its association with truth. For Gandhi, "to be" did not
mean to exist within the realm of time, as it has in the past with the Greek
philosophers – yet the ontological perception of Gandhi consisted of the existence
within the constituency of truth, within the realm of Satya, and under the protection
of ‘God’ – Truth, which, in congruence to the Hindu beliefs regarding Brahman’s
11. Gandhi’s Satya
omnipotence, omniscience, and supreme identity, and the Atmans,
resembling Brahma’s existence in all mortals, theoretically exists within every
mortal. With such perceptions and values regarding Satya, Gandhi pursued
this notion through his Satyagrahas, in which the conscientious and virtuous
Satya was assiduously followed and adhered to. Extending past the
conventional perception of passive resistance under Gandhi’s interpretation,
the Satyagrahas of Gandhi truly resembled their literal implications of
insistence on truth: With an initiative approach, Gandhi instigated a notion
that passive resistance differed from his Satyagraha – mass civil disobedience,
according to the allegedly valid beliefs that Satyagrahas adhere to the truth,
are solely deployed for benign intents, and do not, under all circumstances,
employ violence. One of the most prominent notions of Satyagraha consists
12. Gandhi’s Satya
of the notion that , in stead of coercing one’s opponent, one needs to co-
operate with the opponent to achieve a mutual compromise and the
preliminarily set goal. In addition, no violence or untruthful acts should be
perpetuated in the course of any Satyagraha, for the means shall
subsequently controvert the aims, defying the original intent of achieving
Ahimsa and Satya.
15. Brahmacharya
Brahmacharya consists of a conventional Hinduism spiritual
education occurring during the teenage years, literally implying a
period of time in which Brahma shall provide assistance to the student;
it is the period of time in which a student becomes inculcated in the
mystical doctrine. Under other non-Hindu circumstances,
Brahmacharya denotes a mode of life devoted to spiritual endeavour
in which sexual continence or even abstinence (celibacy) is highly
valued and ardently pursued. The general conception of Brahmacharya
consists of two sections: Brahma – the omnipotent creator constituting
a core part of the Hindu Godhead Trimurti; and Charya – The notion of
being adhered to.
17. Gandhi’s Brahmacharya
Gandhi conceived of the significance of Brahmacharya when he was 16; while
his father contracted a disease and deteriorated in health rapidly. Being very
dedicated to his parents, he attended to his father at all times during his
illness. Nonetheless, Gandhi was relieved and exempt from his
duty when his uncle came to replace Gandhi’s vigil over his father. Having
retired to his room, Gandhi imprudently and impetuously committed carnal
acts with his wife. Subsequently, a servant entered the room and reported to
Gandhi that his father had just died. Subjectively perceiving himself culpable,
and being substantially influenced by the incident, Gandhi became celibate
at the age of 36, while still married. This decision was deeply influenced by
the philosophy of Brahmacharya — spiritual and practical purity —
substantially associated with celibacy and asceticism, one of the five
significant beliefs constituting Jainism, a religion from which Gandhi had and
would acquire his insights and beliefs.
18. Gandhi’s Brahmacharya
Gandhi conceived of Brahmacharya as a means to near God,
transcendence realism, purity, realisation, and truth; he admitted to
having once possessed lustful urges with his childhood bride, Kasturba.
Inclined to control his originally impetuous love through restraining his
lustful love to solely pure love, Gandhi hence perceived of
Brahmacharya as his ‘monitoring of senses’. Gandhi even elaborated
his conceptions to implementing his Brahmacharya practices
through intentionally endeavouring to resist lust, by sleeping next to a
woman on the same bed while maintaining and restricting himself to
not conduct sexual intercourse with her.
21. Ahimsa
Ahimsa consists of the notion of conducting no impairment – hence avoiding
violence – to other mortals. It constitutes an important tenet and principle of
the religions that originated in ancient India – Hinduism, Jainism, and
Buddhism. Ahimsa is a doctrine of regulation that controverts the killing or
injuring of living beings. It is closely connected with the notion that all kinds
of violence entail negative karmic consequences, depending upon which shall
be one’s reincarnation form. The extent to which the principle of non-
violence can or should be applied to different life forms is controversial
between various authorities, movements and currents within the three
religions and has been a matter of debate for thousands of years. Ahimsa in
Jainism emphasises vegetarianism and forbids hunting and ritual sacrifice.
Jains equivocate even the smallest insects and other miniscule animals so as
to not jeopardise or injure their lives; they also make conceivable and
substantial efforts not to injure plants in everyday life as far as possible.
22. Ahimsa
In accordance to this policy, the consumption of certain types of food, whose
cultivations harm small insects and worms as well as agriculture itself, is to be
abstained from and not advocated. Ahimsa is generally based on Hinduism’s
conception and acknowledgment of but an insubstantial difference between
the Atmans of humans, and those of other forms of mortals.
23. Gandhi’s Ahimsa
‘What difference does it make to the dead,
the orphans, and the homeless, whether the
mad destruction is wrought under the name
of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty
and democracy?’ - Gandhi on Ahimsa
24. Gandhi’s Ahimsa
Elaborating on the conventional Hindu and Jain notion of Ahimsa, Gandhi
implemented ahimsa onto politics; he was the pioneer of employing non-violence in
political protests, conceiving that non-violence would rid me of one’s
obstreperousness, contempt, and belligerence, suppressing one’s anger. Gandhi
pursued the notion that the killing of mortals consisted of a highly unmoral and
malevolent act, hence his advocating of vegetarianism. Deploying Satyagrahas based
on notions of non-violence (Ahimsa), and non-resistance, Gandhi urged the orthodox
Hindu-Jain notion of ahimsa to another, comparatively political and substantial level.
Gandhi also pursued most resolutely the notion of vegetarianism, he himself not
consuming any meat at all, for he recognised the Jain belief of vegetarianism as a
foundation for his non-violence belief, and a most economically practical conception.
Nonetheless, Gandhi perceived and acknowledged that Ahimsa required an
abundance of audacity and resilience, and hence advocated a vicious yet intrepid
defense, in contrary to chivalrous cowardice.
27. Simplicity
Simplicity comprises two layers of definitions,
one of which consists of the pursuit of abstaining from
flamboyance, ostentation, costly goods; the other being the
notion of avoiding the mundane matters of life. In accordance
to Christian notions, the Supreme Being – the Deity
‘God’ – possess infinite simplicity, as a resemblance
of the exemption from the ‘inferior’ issues through
aloofness and transcendence. In spite of the philosophical
notions regarding the theoretical superiority of simplicity
(Occam’s Razor), simplicity in general constitutes the practice
of a plain and non-ornate lifestyle.
29. Gandhi’s Simplicity
In correspondence to the aforementioned, conventional, and general
perception of simplicity as being empty, pure, and aloof, and
constituting one of Jainism’s five prominent notions – Aparigraha – the
detachment from others. Gandhi also refuted that success was based
on exuberant pompousness, for he, as a political figure, possessed the
attire of the allegedly inferior ‘untouchables’, without his western
suits. He wore the clothes of the poorest inhabitants of the social
hierarchy in India, employing his home-spun cloth, while concurrently
encouraging others to spin their own clothes, plant, and avoid the exuberant
ostentation of westerners, and, hence, their clothes. Avoiding all
unnecessary expenditures and gifts, Gandhi endeavoured to reduce
himself to such divine and infinite simplicity that he was, according to
himself, trying to reduce himself to zero. Gandhi spent one day of each
week in silence, conceiving that abstaining from speaking brought him
33. Love, Faith, and Hope
Comprising a perpetually eminent core part of Christianity’ virtues,
and themselves being the three substantial theological virtues, love,
faith, and hope are also general virtues or beliefs advocated by various
religions, of which these three notions are valued and conceived as the
means to transcendence realism (Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, or
Jainism), or salvation (Christianity). The notion of love comprises three
types – Eros love, Phileo love, and Agape love (i.e. Sacrificial
love); Faith consists of the love of God and the acknowledgment of his
omnipotence, while encompassing the realms of beliefs of intrepidity,
resilience, and defiance; and Hope comprises the acknowledgment of
fortune, and a genuinely sanguine demeanour.
34. Gandhi’s Love, Faith, and Hope
‘As Christian friends were endeavouring to
convert me, so were Muslim friends. Abdullah
Seth had kept on inducing me to study Islam,
and of course he had always something to say
regarding its beauty.’ – Gandhi on Faith
35. Gandhi’s Love, Faith, and Hope
Gandhi conceived of love and truth as the two most prominent sectors of his
beliefs, and, in general, of religions. Through the Christian Agape
love and Sacrificial love, Gandhi was inclined to save his fellows
through non-violent, yet, consequently, precarious means; should one
not possess agape love (charity), and sacrificial love, how could one, in
congruence to Gandhi, proclaim that one would be willing to sacrifice
one’s life in exchange for justice? In addition, Gandhi also advocated
the notion of faith, as he insisted on the significance of his
being an Hindu, and not actually converting to other religions,
notwithstanding his not conceding the transcendence, omniscience,
and the omnipotence of Brahman – the ultimate Hindu deity: In
contrary to allegedly ‘blindly’ pursuing Gods, Gandhi treated
religions as symbols of portmanteau collections of notions and beliefs, from
36. Gandhi’s Love, Faith, and Hope
which, and regardless of which religions, Gandhi
would select beliefs to practise upon – in accordance to
him, every different religion has its advantages and
drawbacks. He held no preference over religions, for he
recognised and loved all religions, hence promoting
universalism. In addition, Gandhi also evaluated the belief of
hope as highly significant and indispensable in his resistance
– for the hope for India’s independence was apparently
required to be substantial, so substantial that derived from
which was sufficient audacity and resilience to overthrow a
prominent empire.
39. Equality
The notion of Equality, or Egalitarianism consists
of the advocating of substantial notion of
Equality, encapsulating justice, fair treatment,
and the possession of equal rights.
41. Gandhi’s Equality
Gandhi perceived of equality as a means to reach simplicity
and agape love, through which purity could be attained.
Conceiving of the notion of untouchability as ludicrous as
unjust for all men were allegedly equal, Gandhi enunciated
the significance of acknowledging the equality of all
humans, regardless of races – Blacks or Whites, ethic groups,
nationalities – English or Indians, religious groups, social class
– Untouchables or Royals, for Gandhi was inclined to impart
the fact that all men were equal, according to the Satya and
the notion of Simplicity.
43. Swaraj
Swaraj consists theoretically of self-governance or
‘home-rule’, yet the word if generally employed as
Gandhi’s conception for Indian Independence from
foreign domination, emphasising on self-
governance – governance not by a hierarchical
government, but decentralised, anarchy-like self
governance through individuals, which juxtaposes
the British political structure.
45. Gandhi’s Swaraj
Gandhi was a philosophical anarchist, envisioning India to be a country without an
underlying government. While political systems were largely hierarchical, with each
layer of authority from the individual to the central government had increasing levels
of authority over the layer below, Gandhi believed that society should be the exact
opposite, reiterating his notion of Equality through insinuating the significance of
acknowledging everyone as at a same level. In accordance to his belief, Gandhi
perceived that with each individual being under his own sovereignty, there would be
no need for universal laws. This would be achieved over time with nonviolent conflict
mediation, as power is divested from layers of hierarchical authorities, ultimately to
the individual, which would come to embody the ethic of nonviolence. Rather than
a system where rights were enforced by a higher authority, people were self-governed
by mutual responsibilities, ruling themselves in small communities and without
hindering others.
47. Conclusion
Gandhi was an enigmatic spiritual leader of India. With a substantial
collection of prominent beliefs deriving from various religions, and yet
incorporating all of these notions with politics and humanitarianism,
Gandhi instigated, with love, faith, candour, intrepidity, and
justice, an inevitable, unstoppable, and homogenous force that:
Politically revolted against an eminent empire; practised satyagrahas
to pursue the truth; and to discover the meaning of life through
implementing love, aloofness, equality, and non-violence. Gandhi was
indeed an unfathomably and inscrutably influential yet benevolent
political figure of India, who freed millions from the callous oppression
of the British government, with no violence at all.
