Gandhi And Jainism

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

Page 78

(a term coined by Gandhi in 1906 for his nonviolent action) will be based on values he inherited from his upbringing and enforced by his interactions with Raychandbhai comprising personal interactions and observations while in Bombay and through letters when Gandhi was in South Africa, from18911901 i.e. till Raychandbhai's death.
Based on the above sequence of events in South Africa, philosophy of Satyagraha and its constituent principles /values like truth and its realization, Ahimsa, observance of vows, Vegetarianism including fasting, and self sacrifice-restraint, non possession / aparigraha etc are analyzed. Satyagraha motivated him find his way, involve masses in Satyagraha and ultimately bring around the mighty British to free Indians from discrimination in South Africa.
We shall analyze the values Gandhi practised and the basis of Satyagraha. We have seen in Chapter II earlier the impact of his friend Rajchandra on his personality development. This impact was so profound that he continued contact with Rajchandra even in South Africa until his death (Rajchandra) even though Gandhi was in South Africa as can be seen from the following analysis.
Truth / Satya: Gandhi held that Truth is nothing but God. And whatever we understand by God is implied in Truth. He asserted:
"Truth is God nothing else, nothing less.... The nearest word answering to Truth in Sanskrit is Sat, Sat means 'being'. God alone is Sat. He alone is; nothing and no one else is."23
Further speaking of Truth, Gandhi said that for humans it is a relative term. He also said that a writer always presents one aspect of a case, whereas every case is to be seen from no less than seven points of view all of which are correct by themselves
Gandhi & Jainism
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