gandhi's concept of ahimsa
TRANSCRIPT
-Anjan K Behera Assistant Professor, Department of English
Tetso College, Dimapur
A Look at Gandhi’s Adaptation and it’s Practicality
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tets
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Ahimsa – The WordIt means respect for all
living things and avoidance of violence towards others.
Mentioned in ancient Vedic texts.
Origin recorded by Bodewitz (Dutch – Sanskrit scholar).
Origin in Sanskrit – himsa=to strike, ahimsa=not to strike/nonviolent.
Himsa – To Strike
Ahimsa – Not to Strike
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Ahimsa – The Understanding
All living things have the ‘spark’ of the creator (divine spiritual energy).
Same creator, same origin.
When you harm someone, you are harming yourself.
Hence, live in peace and nonviolence.
Adam and Eve – The Origin
as per the Bible
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Ahimsa – The ExtentNot limited to
physical nonviolence
Extends to nonviolence in words, deeds, and thoughts.
Key in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism.
Extends to other religions as well.
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Gandhian ‘Ahimsa’Adapted from the religious
context.Ahimsa = Love, an
emotion which cleanses the mind
Ahimsa = Conscious effort to free the mind from hatred, jealousy, anger
Essential for continuation for human species and life on Earth.
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Ahimsa is a by product of Satya“I often describe my religion as
religion of truth. Of late, instead of saying God is Truth, I have been saying Truth is God, in order more fully to define my religion. We are sparks of Truth. The sum total of sparks is indescribable as-yet-unknown Truth, which is God.”
Truth (satya) is God (dharma). God is love (ahimsa).
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Truth and Courage – Ahimsa’s armour
Ahimsa requires truthfulness and fearlessness.
“There is only one whom we have to fear, that is God. When we fear God, we shall fear no man; and if you want to follow the vow of Truth, then fearlessness is absolutely necessary.” - Gandhi
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Ahimsa is not the same as non-killing, or nonviolence due to cowardice.
You can kill the snake to defend yourself and your loved ones, but not if it doesn’t threaten your well being!
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Under ahimsa, also comes the ‘Bread Labour’
Borrowed from Ruskin Bond and Leo Tolstoy (writers), who themselves borrowed this concept from the Bible.
Man must labour and earn his own bread.
Removes any scope for corruption or unfair wealth distribution.
Corruption is also a violence, it kills development.
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Ahimsa is the extreme limit of forgiveness.
But forgiveness is a quality of the brave.
Gandhian Ahimsa has been mostly influenced by the Vedic texts, the Mahabharata in general, and the Gita in particular.
“Fight for what is right, fight if absolutely needed, fight to defend your honour, fight with honour!”
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Ahimsa is then an ideal state. A goal to be pursued.
Blessed is the man who can perceive the law of ahimsa (nonviolence) in the midst of the raging fire of himsa all around him.
A true nonviolence activist accepts violence on himself without inflicting it on another – heroism.
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Perpetrators of violence – criminals – products of social disintegration.
In the face of violence and injustice, Gandhi considers violent resistance preferable to cowardly submission.
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Some Incidents to be Considered2010 Protests against
Nagaland University Vice-Chancellor Prof K Kannan.◦Non-violent nature.◦Result – Successful
2012 Delhi Gangrape Protests◦Non-violent nature.◦Result – Partly successful
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2015 Dimapur Lynching Incident◦Violence◦Result – Worsened
situation. Created new victims (the ‘Wanted’ list)
2016 – SSA Teachers’ Protest in Nagaland◦Non-violent◦Result -
Unsuccessful
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2016 ACAUT protest against arrest of three of their leaders.◦Nonviolent◦Result – Successful
2017 ULB Election Crisis◦Nonviolent at first◦Turned violent on Feb 1◦Buildings burnt down◦Violent protestors imposed bandh◦Result - Successful (CM resigned, ULB
elections cancelled) at a price!
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Gandhian ‘Ahimsa’ is structurally similar to Biblical teachings.
“Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you. Bless them that curse you and pray for them, which despitefully use you.”
Peace, love, compassion, non-violence.
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Critique of AhimsaAhimsa alone cannot
guarantee success. It’s an ideal, a fantasy.This concept has been
critiqued on this ground. Can worsen the situation
– Sri Aurobindo attributed Gandhian ahimsa to the partition. Ahimsa delayed independence. Allowed other forces to rise.