Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 4

Author(s): R P Poddar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 74

Mahatma Gandhi's View on Hinduism
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Hinduism washed away the dirt of the distinction between the high and low, it cannot survive. It is necessary here to distinguish between Varnaśrama Dharma and the caste system. Gāndbi considered the latter as a caricature of the former.
Gāndbi notes that all the great religions teach love of man but Hindusim teaches love of animals also Gāndbi observes, that cow protection is the gift of Hinduism to the world. It is a distinctive contribution to the world's religious ideas. Cow to Gāndhi meant the entire sub-human world, "It means the protection of the weak and the helpless."5 To Gāndhi cow protection had a very wide and comprehensive significance. He explained, . I am not ready to believe that by merely protecting the animal cow one can attain Moksa, for Moksa, one must completely get rid of one's lower feelings like attachment, hatred, anger, jealousy, etc. It follows, therefore that the meaning of cow protection in terms of Mokso must be much wider and far more comprehensive than is commonly supposed. Cow protection which can bring one Mok sa must, from its very nature, include the proteciion of everything that feels. Therefore, in my opinion, every little breach of the ahińsă princip'e, like causing hurt by harsh speech to anyone, man, woman or child, to cause pain to the weakest and the most insignificant creature on earth would be a breach of the principle of cow piotection, and it would be tantamount to the sin of beef-eating, deffering from, in degree, if at all, rather than in kind. That being so, I hold that with all our passions let loose we cannot today claim to be following the principle of cow-protection.
Gāndhi corrected two errors consciously or unconsciouly held in the minds of the masses of India. First, the dangerous passivity brought about by the misunderstanding of the law of Karma 'that everyone has to suffer the consequences of his deeds and there is no need to change things'. This belief had led to an unhealthy tolerance of the many economic and social evils, taking away the initiative of the individual and dynamism of the society. The other error he saw was that meditation was considered higher than work which enabled many to eat without work. Both these errors had reduced the masses of India to poverty and helplessness. Gandhi taught the dignity of work by his own example. Gāndhi's non-violence was against giving a free meal to an able-bodied beggar. Gandhi made the bread labour' part of his religion and changed the passive non-violence into an active and constructive non-violence. “God is continuously active",
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Young India : 8.6.1921.