Gandhi And Jainism

Author(s): Shugan C Jain
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

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pacified him. Rajchandra's philosophy had deep impact on Gandhi as will be seen in most of his responses for personal and to even social issues from now onwards. Rajchandra died in 1901. After three years in South Africa, Gandhi went back to India where he met important leaders and newspapers to seek their support for his movement in South Africa. He returned to South Africa with his family to prepare for the Natal parliament session in January 1897. He developed the concept of Satygraha for his ceaseless effort to get justice for his fellow Indians. He was equitable towards Indian in trying to have them get rid of their insanitary and unhygienic habits as well as to support British in Boer's war, Zulu rebellion and the plague.
He also read Unto This Last by Ruskin which became the basis of his philosophy of Sarvodaya and Tolstoy's The Kingdom of God is within you. These texts formed the basis of his setting up Phoenix Ashrama in Durban and Tolstoy Farm in Johannesburg respectively. Both Settlements were communities which had all shades of people regardless of their race and occupation. He developed a regime of vows to be practices by the dwellers of both Ashramas as well as participants of Satyagraha. He declared his life's mission as self realization or seeing God face to face. His lifestyle comprising Ahimsa, Aparigraha, truth, vows, fasting, celibacy and religious harmony are analyzed during his stay in South Africa, with particular reference to relevance to Jain practices. Jain doctrine of Anekantvada allowed Gandhi to conceive the ultimate reality pluralistically, in both personal theistic and impersonal Advaitic terms. He was thus able to exercise not only tolerance but empathy for the position of those with whom he disagreed.
After gaining acceptance of all his recommendations including abolition of need of permit to stay in South Africa by the government, he sailed for India on July 18th 1914. During his