Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhism and Culture of Peace

Dr. Ravindra Kumar (India, 04/01/08)

Mahatma Gandhi and His Legacy 

Mahatma Gandhi was quite a simple man in his personal life. His simplicity can be examined through the following words of Albert Einstein, who was his own contemporary as well as a great scientist of the Twentieth Century: 

“Generations to come…will scarcely believe that such a one as this even in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.”  

Simultaneous to this, the unique legacy and exemplary ideas that Mahatma Gandhi left to humanity were summarized by Einstein as follows: 

“Mahatma Gandhi's life achievement stands unique in political history. He has invented a completely new and humane means for the liberation war of an oppressed country, and practiced it with greatest energy and devotion. The moral influence he had on the consciously thinking human being of the entire civilized world will probably be much more lasting than it seems in our time with its overestimation of brutal violent forces. Because lasting will only is the work of such statesmen who wake up and strengthen the moral power of their people through their example and educational works.

“We may all be happy and grateful that destiny gifted us with such an enlightened contemporary, a role model for the generations to come.”

Furthermore, Romain Rolland, another great man of the same Century said: 

“Mahatma Gandhi is another Christ.”

No doubt, the statements of both these great men are extraordinary as they exhort the world to examine Mahatma Gandhi’s personality and works as well as their relevance in these times, especially in the context of a development of a culture of peace that can ensure safe existence of mankind as well as the progress and prosperity of all.

Gandhism

Now, prior to analyzing the importance and significance of views and works of Mahatma Gandhi in the context of the development of a culture of peace, it is necessary for us to know what his ideas are, or in other words, what Gandhism is.

Mahatma Gandhi himself was extremely opposed to bringing his philosophy or ideas under the domain of any ‘ISM’. For to him, setting his ideas with ‘ISM’ meant to flee from the spirit behind them and to minimize their importance. But even so, his ideas are generally known as Gandhism, and, in reality, this is not the true introduction of Gandhism, because Gandhism does not merely consist of the ideas, which he put forth before the world. In Gandhism also includes what he treated in his individual life in accordance with these ideas to the maximum possible extent. Those who hold merely his theory or ideas to be Gandhism are incorrect, because his ideas alone cannot be accepted as Gandhism. 

As known to the whole world, Gandhism revolves around Ahimsa [non-violence], which is the most ancient, perpetual, individual as well as social, all timely and welfaristic value; it is an active force, connected with God and, thus, stays to be true, and it is a Dharma in grandeur.  Along with this, non-violence is permanently present in human nature, and it is an essential condition for existence; moreover, it is the basis of human development and the means to achieve the goal.

We can all well understand our will to live. We can wish eagerly for our development.  But what is the goal of life? Sometimes we do not understand it. In fact, from both the spiritual and social point of view, peace is the goal of life. It is the purpose behind the creation for almost everyone, whether he is atheist or theist. And it is because of this that emphasis has been laid on the continuing awakening and adoption of non-violence, individually and collectively, in our day-to-day practices. 

Not only by Tirthankara Mahavira, in whom manifestation of Ahimsa [non-violence] took place in the best possible manner, or the Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi, but also by other apostles of peace, philosophers and thinkers of both, the East and the West, efforts were made for the construction of a culture accepting non-violence to be the fundamental or nucleus so that the existence of mankind is assured, the path of development is smoothened and the ultimate goal is well within sight and approach. There is no let-up in these endeavours; and this process shall continue with the same gusto in future as well.

The history of mankind, which measures billions of years and is divided into different ages, has proven time and again the fact that among all other beings, only man possesses the qualities of intellect and creativity. It is due to this that he has been able to pass through the process of learning by doing. In other words, especially from a Gandhian point of view, this is the real education, which played a very vital role and made a sizeable contribution to the awakening of non-violence and its application in daily practices, regardless of the method adopted with the changing times. It was necessary from the point of view of those who define education as “Sa Vidyaya Vimuktey.”

As the whole world knows, in this very chain, in the Twentieth Century, Mahatma Gandhi made a momentous contribution by showing a wonderful, simple and justifiable way of awakening and practicing of non-violence in the routine chores of life. The reason behind accepting the above way of Mahatma Gandhi to be wonderful, simple and justifiable is that he, by establishing co-ordination and synthesis amongst all concepts of the East and the West, old and new, makes non-violence well worthy to be grasped by all. Everyone can, more or less, find non-violence of his imagination in Gandhi’s principle pertaining to it, and can also adopt it in his practices. It is only the great characteristic of his non-violence and due to this it is unique as also of special recognition. In this regard once more I would like to quote Albert Einstein who says:

“I believe that Gandhi's views were the most enlightened of all the political men in our time.”

Gandhi, Education and Culture of Peace

To make non-violence the basis of maximum day-to-day practices of man, Mahatma Gandhi considered it to be an indivisible, important and essential part of education. The development of morality and ethics in man beginning in childhood, i.e. by imparting moral and ethical education from the onset of his primary studies and beyond, is the most important step in this regard. This is an essential part of the fourfold educational plan, which I have proposed, one that is necessary for all-around development of personality in general, and the pathway to peace in particular. Also, it is one of the two aspects of Mahatma Gandhi’s unique and refined approach pertaining to value education, which provides us with a new dimension of development in the matter. Through this, Mahatma Gandhi believed that education of intellect in the true sense would emerge. In the words of the Mahatma:

“Education means all-round drawing out of the best in child [student] and man-body, mind and spirit.”  

By Mahatma Gandhi’s imagination and definition, education incorporates proper exercise and the training of the bodily organs, i.e. hands, feet, eyes, ears, nose, etc; this provides the best and quickest way of developing morality and ethics, without which the awakening of the soul is not possible. If this is not so, it has no worth; it is incomplete and aimless.

It is a fact that an education system that lacks morality and ethics cannot be termed as good and complete in its term and objective. The reason behind this is that a student or man who lacks morals and ethics cannot be considered healthy in the mental and physical sense, as self-control and good character are essential for health. In the absence of morality and ethics, no one can differentiate between right and wrong and in such a state, all-round development of his personality is impossible.

A person who is not a moralist and does not differentiate between right and wrong cannot rise to the essential level of the true student. And the one, who does not rise to this level, surely cannot contribute towards the development of a culture of peace. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi: 

“Through education all-round development…can take place only when it proceeds with the education of the physical and spiritual [that essentially includes moral or ethical knowledge] faculties of the child.”    

For the construction of a culture of peace, the attainment of spiritual growth that Mahatma Gandhi believed is an essential part of education can be attained only through morality and ethics. Seeing this from another perspective also yields the same point, when we consider education as a means of attaining salvation-Sa Vidyaya Vimuktey-as well as a support on the pathway to complete peace and liberation, we cannot differentiate it from spiritualism.

It is for this reason that the Mahatma laid down policies to ensure that morality and righteousness would always be considered an essential and requisite part of a student’s education, thereby guaranteeing they would reap the benefits of knowledge and spirituality.

Mahatma Gandhi was of the firm opinion that students should be educated under the strict regimen of high morals, self-control and right thinking; he also believed that they provide service to society by following tradition with a constant awareness of their duties.  These responsibilities include respect towards one’s elders, e.g. parents, teachers and other authority figures, and as well as a loving and dependable conscientiousness for those younger than oneself. After all, it is both duties and responsibilities that are important and significant not just in maintaining peace, but in building a sound culture of peace.

Religious Education and Peace

Mahatma Gandhi was in favour of religious education to be imparted to students in schools and colleges. On the 25^th of August, 1927 he wrote in Young India:

“I know…that a country like India, where there are most religions of the world represented and where there are so many denominations in the same religion, there must be difficulty about making provision for religious instruction. But if India is not to declare spiritual bankruptcy, religious instruction of its youth must be held to be at least as necessary as secular instruction.”  

The words “at least as necessary as secular instruction” are of utmost importance as they clearly state Mahatma Gandhi’s views. For the Mahatma rightly believed that many fundamental beliefs are shared in the teachings of the world’s religious communities. All faiths, he asserted, equally emphasize morality, love to others, ethics and other righteous qualities that lead a human being to contribute to peace in society.

Thus, the purpose behind Mahatma Gandhi’s advocacy of the introduction of religious studies in education was his intention to strengthen students’ morality and ethics. This kind of education instills the values of forbearance, tolerance, and reverence in one’s character. And in turn, these values are supplementary and fully within the domain of the great and perpetual value Ahimsa [non-violence]. Explaining the importance and need of religious education, Mahatma Gandhi declared in an issue of Young India:

“A curriculum of religious instructions should include a study of the tenets of faiths other than one’s own. For this purpose the students should be trained to cultivate the habit of understanding and appreciating the doctrine of various great religions of the world in a spirit of reverence and broad minded tolerance.”

To guarantee that moral and ethical education is imparted to students, and ensure that it has a permanent place in a person’s life, Mahatma Gandhi placed the responsibility of this goal upon all members of society-be they parents, teachers, the leaders of the society, or the student himself. However, he especially called upon all teachers to pass on the proper knowledge of morality and ethics to students at the primary, secondary and higher level of education. To quote Mahatma Gandhi: 

“This if properly done would [definitely] help to give them a spiritual assurance [to pave way to a culture of peace] and also to a better appreciation…”  

By suggesting guidelines for teachers, Gandhi asserted that it is the duty of teachers to develop the high morals and strong character of their students. If teachers fail to do so, it means they fall short of their social and national responsibilities and as such, they are insincere towards their noble profession. He also said that a teacher should set an example for students and society to follow. This can only be done when a teacher himself leads life with high standards of morality and strong character. An ideal teacher should be free from any addiction. He needs to be polite and should set an ideal example of simple living and high thinking. He should also remember that wasting time is a sin; therefore, he should be mindful of his duties towards students and society. Moreover, he should have a good reputation in society from a moral and ethical point of view.

Mahatma Gandhi also called upon the students to remember that it should be their foremost duty to make certain that moral and ethical knowledge continues to be the integral part of their educational process. By doing so, students contribute to the development of value education that is so essential for the formation of an ideal, peaceful and prosperous society. Furthermore, the Mahatma strongly encouraged the pursuit of moral and ethical knowledge even after formal education is completed, calling upon each and everyone to seek it till the last breath of life.

Value Education and Culture of Peace

The other aspect of the Gandhian approach as it relates to value education is also important for the construction of a sustainable culture of peace. This aspect deals with basic or technical education, does not matter if the word ‘Buniyadi’ was used by Mahatma Gandhi in the third and the fourth decades of the Twentieth Century, meaning the knowledge or education that could help people promote handicrafts and establish cottage industries in India.

The ultimate purpose behind Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas was to assist young men and women to become self-reliant in the economic field. From a present-day perspective, his ideas pertaining to Buniyadi [basic] education are still worthy and considerable. For Gandhi’s initiatives have no conflict with the concept of today’s job-oriented or technical education; they can make a man self-dependent and prosperous. And it is without a doubt that a self-reliant and prosperous person contributes towards the prosperity of a society and nation, as well as a stable and real culture of peace. 

The importance and significance of the Gandhian approach multiplies as he emphasized the imparting of technical knowledge from the very beginning of study based upon the careful identification of that predominant virtue from amongst those virtues, which every child possesses.

In today’s completely changed circumstances, I believe there may not be another sound alternative to it. I also believe that if people around the world study this approach carefully, it can be applicable everywhere according to the prevailing circumstances and can definitely yield good results.

Conclusion  

This is what Mahatma Gandhi accomplished so that every human being on this planet could live without fear, assured of a safe and secured life, marching equally towards a development process, possessing peace while strengthening the culture of peace. 

Gandhism and its system of education, especially pertaining to value education, is ultimately the education of a peace whose purpose is to make a man fully developed. This, according to Mahatma Gandhi is:

“An unending process divided into different stages…”

The worth of it lies in the idea that education’s foundations should be laid on sound morals and ethics and should by necessity enable a man to be self-dependent.

It is undoubtedly ever-relevant in achieving the goal of peace and for the construction of a real and sustainable culture of peace, especially under the democratic system of government. In this context its relevance and importance can never be underestimated; and it should be applied on the grander scale. The need of the day is to study, understand and adopt the Gandhian approach to the education process, putting it into practice all over the world. Indeed it is the demand of the times.

Related Read : Mahatma Gandhi and his Quest for Self-Realization

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