Book Title: World of Philosophy
Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan
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upon human desire. Through desire, humans craft their world, creating boundaries and distinctions, separating heaven from earth, light from darkness. In this constructed world, sustained by sacrifice, meditation, and prayer, individuals gather into community, moving from the unformed to the formed. Intention and desire direct communities and individuals to select various options, symbolized by various deities, all seen as provisional tools for attaining a goal, whether worldly or sublime.
Dharma sustains those who choose to uphold the world. Sannyasa or renunciation of the world appeals even today to hundreds of thousands of individuals who give up the world and retreat from society in search of higher meaning. Followers of Dharma aspire to fit into the cosmic flow of life (rta). Renouncers, particularly the practitioners of Yoga in its various forms, strive for an elevated sense of cosmic connection, known as samadhi.
For both the worldly and the spiritually inclined, precepts such as nonviolence and truthfulness set forth ideals for behavior that respect the need for acknowledging the ongoing flux or flow between the unspeakable realm of origin, the asat, and the realm of manifest activity. These precepts, observed by Vaisnavas, Saivas, Jainas, Bauddhas, and Sikhs in India, include respect for all forms of life, a mandate to be truthful and honest, and cautions against the dangers of greed and lust. These precepts shape both personal and social ethics.
Drawing from this well of wisdom, Gandhi championed these precepts, known in Sanskrit as ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmcarya, and aparigraha.. The values found in these precepts remain important as we confront not only the challenges of pluralism but also the many ecological and economic challenges of the 21st century. In his life work, he constantly reminded his followers of the importance of satyagraha (holding to truth), ahimsa (non-violence), and aparigraha (non-possession). In this chapter, Gandhi's ideas and values will be explored in light of their continued relevance for resolving environmental issues, coping with the upheaval caused by the onset of modern economies, and the pressing issue of deciding the most ethical way to allocate medical treatments.
Gandhi's core text arguing for independence from the British Empire, Hind Swaraj, was published 100 years ago, in 1910. In this text he sets forth a manifesto that not only critiques the basic policies of the colonial occupation, but also calls for a re-examination of some fundamental assumptions. His ideas diverge radically from the development model of recent decades. This model, popular since the 1990s, has placed great value on expanding economies, growing transportation networks, reducing of illiteracy, and reducing morbidity. Though Gandhi's ideas on these topics would most likely have changed given new information, his cautions about their apparent benefits contain some wisdom and an opportunity for introspection and reflection.
