Dr Silika Mohapatra

Ethics
Parmeet Singh Majethiya
20BPHI020

Gandhi’s Conception of Ahimsa & Satya

Introduction:
There can be no contestation regarding Gandhi’s place in the modern history of India. Rightly
acclaimed as the father of the nation, his moral and political thought is relevant even in the
times when this essay is being written. This essay attempts to throw light on Gandhi’s
philosophy of ahimsa (non-violence) and satya (truth), which were his important tools in the
struggle against the British, which he derived majorly from the Hindu moral thought and not
forgetting the contributions of Jaina and Buddhist ethics in his life and thought too. Even the
greatest politicians of any nation must not be immune to criticisms, Gandhi, is not an
exception. In the essay, we will also inspect his political conservatism which has often
attracted criticisms. But we cannot deny that his sagaciousness can be of great importance to
us and certain issues our country is currently facing. This essay will also look at the farmers
protests in the light of Gandhian ethics and how the policy of non-violence can help them in
their cause. Apart from the lesson of satyagraha we learnt from Gandhi, he is not limited to
just that. He is also known for his political acumen and far-sightedness through which he
tried to alarm us from certain apprehensions which many of our other leaders failed to notice
or rather, deliberately turned a blind eye to them.

The Concept of Satya:

Gandhi’s association with truth is began in his early childhood days. He mentions in his
autobiography that he had a chance to watch a play on Harischandra, who was a legendary
king of the Ikshwaku dynasty known for his truthfulness and a promise for which he even had
to sell his family into bondage. This incident had an everlasting impact on the mind of young
Gandhi such that the concept of truth remained at the top of his moral thought throughout his
life.
But satya need not be considered, what we construe it to be in colloquial terms- truth. But it
definitely comes from the basic tenet present in the Indian schools of thought namely, the
Hindu, Buddhist and Jaina. The important notions that the word satya carries are real, self-
existent essence, pure, good. The word satya, has a root word ‘sat’ in it which is also the root
of many Sanskrit words such as sattva, sat-chit-ananda, sat-yuga among others. It refers to a
wide range of metaphysical terms such as ‘universal being’ ‘ultimate reality’ ‘Brahman’ and
‘Absolute Truth.’
Gandhian notion of sat, as he has apprised on many occasions is inspired heavily from the
traditional Indian metaphysical view of sat (though many Indian philosophers were more
concerned with the epistemological enquiries regarding it), “nothing exists in reality except
truth, everything else is illusion”. His conception of truth is in an absolute sense and is the
chief source of morality where there is no place for exceptions, let alone asat (negation of
sat). This goes hand in hand with the pain and suffering one undergoes while walking on this
path which essentially instil certain qualities required of one which will be later discussed in
the essay. This is precisely what Gandhi learnt from the story of Raja Harishchandra which
concludes that truth alone is the source of power in the long run.
Truth is among the greatest virtues in Gandhi’s morality. It is prior to all other human virtues
and excellences. He stresses the importance of the ability of action in accordance with
thought in human beings. While Truth contains the essential strength in itself, but the ability
of action should be there in humans to reciprocate that strength. Truth is that reality which
cannot be perceived without an understanding of the Eternal Law of Nature and proper
incorporation of it in our actions. Mere knowledge of the theory is not going to assist us in
our cause until and unless we represent it in our actions.
The extent to which Truth affected Gandhi was that he even went on to conceptualize it as
God. If there is God, Truth must be God. He felt that an entity like God is difficult to be
accepted by everyone but one can easily adopt Truth to be that guiding principle of one’s life.
One can deny the existence of God but not the existence of Truth. It is easily available, closer
and easier to define than God and therefore it is the ideal object of human faith and reliance.

Ahimsa (Non-violence):
The word ahimsa literally means non-injury, the will not to kill or harmlessness to any living
being. As satya was essential to the Hindu, Buddhist and Jaina schools of thought, ahimsa is
another principle that can be found commonly in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism which is
essential to the philosophy of the respective religions, is followed in different degrees and
forms an important constituent of the Moral Law which is required for the attainment of
moksha or salvation. This concept underlines the significance of the life of all living beings
and a mutual respect for them. Also, another notion that is attached to his principle is that the
violation of it incurs karmic consequences. The Jainas followed the most extreme version of
ahimsa. It is the first virtue listed in the Jaina Pancha Mahavrata. It is also an integral part of
Buddhist ethics. While in Hinduism, it is a bit lenient where texts like Mahabharata and
Ramayana discuss issues like just war and its use in self-defence.
Gandhi’s notion of ahimsa was initially different from what the religious texts had
mentioned. But later, he based it on the Geeta and derived the concept linking it with the non-
attachment of vices like anger, pride and hatred. Much of his thought was also shaped by
Tolstoy’s The Kingdom of God is within You post which his belief in ahimsa was
strengthened.
The principle of ahimsa, according to Gandhi, is “hurt by every evil thought, by undue hate,
by lying, by hatred, by wishing ill to anybody, and by our holding on to what the world
needs.” Adding to this path, the path of non-attachment entails suffering and cultivation of
endless patience. On many occasions he defined ahimsa in an open-ended manner including
all possible human virtues like charity, innocence, humility, meekness, fearlessness and non-
attachment. And he kept the same openness while defining himsa. There are two important
and essential elements in ahimsa, the first being the intention and conversion of the wrong-
doer rather by coercion. However slow, this conversion be, at the end of the day, it is capable
of producing a “second birth or conversion.” And the second one, is the notion of “self-
suffering” where acceptance of all sorts of personal discomforts without willing to submit to
injustice.
The Gandhian concept of ahimsa is used in many different senses which effectively creates
an air of ambiguity. But as a moral tool, its place was uncontested. It was that supreme
method in moral and practical efficacy to violence, which was also taken to be universally
valid. In the context of Geeta, it means the willingness to treat all beings as one’s very self
(atmavat sarvabhuteshu) and this is the minimal mandatory demand of human morality.
Without ahimsa, we would cease to be human.
The relation between Satya & Ahimsa:
Satya and ahimsa were an inherent part of human nature, according to Gandhi, and hence
were inseparable. They were the underlying principles of the constant working of a cosmic
law. Being an absolutist of some form with regards to the notions of satya and ahimsa,
Gandhi sought to forgo his conception from the shortcomings and criticisms which are often
levied against an absolutist. Instead of confusing the reality under the veneer of mythical
purity and utmost idealization, he tried to balance his views with practical notions. He was
well aware of the unattainability of an apolitical perfectionism and sought a political morality
which was feasible for men to adopt. He observed crucial connections between the opposites
such as force and fraud, violence and deception in everyday life and came to conclusions
which were a result of his metaphysical presuppositions regarding sat or Absolute Truth and
Dharma or Moral Law and because of his psychological and ethical belief that fear is the
common root of force and fraud and this can be overcome by man with the help of his truth-
seeking ability that will enable him to be fearless and non-violent. Gandhi makes an
important point apprising the inseparableness of truth and non-violence,
“I made the early discovery that if I was to reach God as Truth and Truth alone, I could not
do so except non-violence. And when in 1890 or 1891, I became acquainted with the teaching
of Buddha, my eyes were opened to the limitless possibilities of non-violence.”
The scriptures, said Gandhi, have given us two maxims— (1) ahimsa is the supreme law or
dharma and (2) there is no other law or dharma than satya or truth. Also, according to him,
ahimsa is the means while Truth is the end. While ahimsa is the supreme duty which one
ought to do and if it is taken care of, we are bound to reach the end sooner or later. In the
quest for the Truth, one will reach a point where the need of ahimsa will be of utmost
importance. Ahimsa becomes an overriding authority in our lives then.
We can also observe the ethics of Geeta, nishkamkarma, where one must only be concerned
with following the proper path rather than attainment of the goal. When one unites himself
with the path, the idea of the attainment of the goal becomes irrelevant. This can be achieved
while being focused on ‘the next step.’
There seems to be a contradiction in what Gandhi thought of ahimsa and Truth. On one
occasion he said that ahimsa is the supreme duty which one ought to follow but later on he
when asked to choose between the two, he says that he won’t bother keeping ahimsa aside
and abide by truth which is supreme. His seems to shift his position a lot while trying to
define the relationship between the two. He also, once claimed that satya and ahimsa are two
sides of the same coin. Though in practicality, Gandhi emphasized on ahimsa but when asked
to choose between either of the two, he maintained that it would be Truth, where we must not
forget that he had earlier equated it with God.
It is important to mention three propositions that may help us understand the Gandhian view
of the relationship between satya and ahimsas and the belief that they are tantamount to the
same thing, though satya being higher than ahimsa. The first proposition is that the pursuit of
satya provides us with the humility to accept the need for ahimsa in our relationship with
fellow men who themselves are truth-seekers. So, satya implies ahimsa. The second
proposition is that the pursuit of ahimsa reveals us that himsa is rooted in fear which can be
removed with the help of the strength coming from satya. Here, ahimsa presupposes satya.
And thirdly, ahimsa is the means to satya and the end being ever eluding, the importance of
ahimsa in practical life alleviates. We can understand from these propositions that the degree
of ahimsa one displays is the measure of the degree of satya one possesses.
There are two notions of Hindu thought which are very significant and are related to the
earlier Gandhian notions of satya and ahimsa, which are moksha and tapas. Moksha as we
know is salvation and tapas is the austerity and prolonged contemplation which aids one to
achieve moksha. Men who aim for emancipation from the worldly affairs undergo penance
and subject themselves to austerities in order to achieve the goal. Tapas, then creates an air of
humility in the one who follows it religiously, acceptance of suffering which makes one
conscious of the delusions of maya and the true nature of reality is reflected to him. Moksha
was, according to Gandhi, aim of the human life. This liberation is possible with the help of
tapas, which helps in self-purification and letting oneself be free of the ego or aham. The self-
realization comes after self-suffering. For Gandhi, the whole purpose of knowing the truth
was to emancipate himself. While he also immersed this spiritual idea into the societal and
political worlds giving these traditions a new spiritual meaning. The identification of oneself
with the poor being synonymous with self-realization and idea of government over self being
the truest swaraj being one with moksha and moksha being realization of truth, these were
some of the many ideas through which Gandhi sought the emancipation of not only himself,
but the whole society.

Satyagraha & Farmers Protests:

The doctrine of satyagraha is the active resistance against injustice and oppression from any
kind of tyranny is the direct result of practical implication of the Gandhian philosophy of
satya and ahimsa. These lie at the heart of his social and political philosophy. The term
satyagraha literally means ‘holding firmly to the truth.’ This is also the crucial part of the
doctrine where through intense suffering, pain and determination, one can achieve the desired
outcome in his struggle against tyranny.
There is a direct relation between ahimsa and satyagraha. It is just the practical implication of
the principle of non-violence against an oppressor. “It is the relentless search for truth and a
determination to reach truth.” A satyagrahi needs to be brave and that root of fear needs to be
removed from him. And this, as has already been mentioned previously in the essay, that fear
is a root cause of force and fraud and this can be overcome with Truth. A satyagrahi should
also be highly disciplined so that he is consistent and diligent and should not leave any scope
to deviate from his path. Even a single instance of deviation might cause the satyagraha to
escalate into a state from which returning might not be possible.
Satyagraha in contemporary times is an important tool which the protestors can use against
the tyrannical laws. The nation has faced numerous protests against CAA 2019 (Citizenship
Amendment Act, 2019) beginning from the end of the year 2019. Currently, we are
witnessing protests held by certain group of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar
Pradesh, against the three farm bills at the Singhu and Tikri border areas of Delhi.
This essay is not going to be judging the validity of the laws or the protests itself but will be
focusing on how satyagraha can be of a great help in their cause.
The 26th January violence that occurred in New Delhi which was caused due to a group of
farmers who deviated from the path that was agreed upon by the farmers’ outfits and Delhi
Police for the ‘Kisan Parade’ and hoisted a religious flag on a flagpole outside the Red Fort.
This incident proved to be a major setback for the protests as it brought a bad name to all
other farmers and gave a serious jolt to the self-esteem of other farmers which could have
effectively ended their chances of success. It is crucial for the farmers to remain non-violent.
There has been research conducted on the success of violent and non-violent protests and it
was found that non-violent protests are more likely to win their cause as compared to violent
protests or ‘riots’ as the popular word goes. As Gandhi goes on that,
“a process of educating public opinion such that it covers all the elements in the society and
in the end, makes itself irresistible. Violence interrupts the process and prolongs the real
revolution of the whole social structure.”
Public opinion matters a lot in protests like these as Gandhi has pointed out and in the general
public’s eyes, the struggle must be visible and more importantly, the resolve to not resort to
violent methods under any circumstance. And historically, it can be shown that using one’s
own suffering, the oppressor can be converted into a supporter without coercion. This is the
underlying notion of the philosophy of satyagraha. Hence, Gandhi continues to guide the
country in such tough times.

Criticism & Conclusion:

Despite being the father of the nation, Gandhi is often criticised by the nationalists that he let
the country ‘divide’— something which irks them beyond anything. But the constructive
criticisms that he failed against the shastras. His views on caste fluctuated frequently. At the
Nagpur session of Congress in December 1920, he passed the resolution in the congress to
consider ‘untouchability a sin.’ He, however, later defended the certain aspects of this
system:
“I believe that caste has saved Hinduism from disintegration. But like every other institution
it has suffered from excrescences. I consider the four divisions alone to be fundamental,
natural and essential. The innumerable sub-castes are sometimes a convenience, often a
hindrance. The sooner there is fusion the better. […] But I am certainly against any attempt
at destroying the fundamental divisions. The caste system is not based on inequality, there is
no question of inferiority, and so far as there is any such question arising, as in Madras,
Maharashtra or elsewhere, the tendency should undoubtedly be checked. […] Interdrinking,
interdining, intermarrying, I hold, are not essential for the promotion of the spirit of
democracy […] We shall ever have to seek unity in diversity, and I decline to consider it a sin
for a man not to drink or eat with anybody and everybody… (Gandhi, 1966b, pp. 83–85)”
Though he is famously credited with giving the Dalits a new name, ‘Harijans’ literally
meaning the children of God, his fight against the caste system was not pursued with a great
aggression. He couldn’t face certain sections of the society who were extremely conservative
people and he retreated citing his inability to stand firmly against the scriptures. There's also
an ethical dilemma for him for how could he hold grounds against those scriptures which
were his greatest sources of philosophy he sticked to?
Nonetheless, despite his political conservatism, he was way ahead of his time. He had already
conceived of ideology being non-existent in the future in India where defection might
become a common act, and appealed to the leaders to shun party membership and work
together to make India a form of direct democracy where collective decision-making can
create a real impact. He also insisted on decentralisation of powers and was a votary of local
self-governments where the gram sabhas were given more decision-making power. He is a
complete school in himself and a source of knowledge that is pivotal to shape our society in
just ways staying within the existing framework. I would like to finish this essay by quoting
Einstein on Gandhi:
“Generations to come will scarce believe that such a man as this ever in flesh and blood
walked upon this earth.”
Sources:
1. The Moral and Political Thought of Mahatma Gandhi, Raghavan N. Iyer
2. https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/how-violent-protests-change-politics
3. Jaffrelot C. The Roots and Varieties of Political Conservatism in India. Studies in
Indian Politics. 2017;5(2):205-217. doi:10.1177/2321023017727968