Gandhi Essay Research Paper GandhiIn the twentieth

Gandhi Essay, Research Paper

Gandhi

In the twentieth century Gandhi stimulated fresh expressions of

Hinduism in independent India. Gandhi was a Hindu leader who was

against the British government, served time in British jails, and in

1947 became one of the leaders of a new India where Hinduism is still

the dominant religion.

Gandhi studied in Britain and practiced law in South Africa. He

was keenly aware of the injustices imposed by the British, and of the

the injustices imposed by Hindus on untouchables. In Hinduism an

untouchable is a person, often a Shudra, who is considered by upper

cases too impure to allow physical contact. But Gandhi referred to

them as Harijans or Children of God . In life he worked for their

welfare, in death he inspired continuing care for them. He tried to

kindle, by example, the light of truth available to the simple virtues of

Hinduism. The masses of Hindus loved Gandhi for his organization of

mass demonstrations, nonviolent resistance and emphasis on fasting

in prison until others did his bidding which the British did not

appreciate. Gandhi had a sound spiritual foundation for his program of

reform. Influenced by Isha Upanishad, two doctrines shaped his

personal commitments and public actions, satyagraha and ahimsa.

Satyagraha, or truth force meant to Gandhi that God is truth. A

persons entire life should be a commitment to seek and fulfill truth.

Ahimsa is non-injury or nonviolence but can also mean love . For

Gandhi this meant that to love God is also to love the being in whom

God dwells. There is no room for hatred or violence among any

humans. Before anyone can correct the impurities and injustices

within the world, they must purify themselves. Gandhi was perhaps the

bets example in the twentieth century of using spiritual force to effect

political change. He said that having rejected the sword, he had

nothing to offer his opposition but love. He lived in expectation that in

some future life he would be able to hug all humanity as friends.

Gandhi s spiritual approach was influential in moving the British

government to grant independence to India in 1947. Gandhi influenced

such people as Martin Luther King, Jr. with his nonviolent resistance

methods, which won recognition of the Civil Rights movement of

African-American people in the United States.