Mahatma Gandhi, an emblem of non-violence and peace, stands as a paragon of moral and political leadership. Born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, India, Gandhi’s life was a testament to the power of peaceful resistance and the human spirit’s capacity for compassion. His philosophy of non-violent protest, or Satyagraha, propelled the Indian independence movement and inspired civil rights movements across the globe.
Gandhi’s most significant contribution is undoubtedly his unwavering commitment to non-violence in the face of oppression. His leadership during the Dandi Salt March, his fasts to promote communal harmony, and his role in India’s struggle for freedom, all while advocating for truth and non-violence, have left an indelible mark on world history. His methods not only liberated a nation but also set a precedent for future generations on how to combat injustice.
One of Gandhi’s most profound quotes, “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong,” captures the essence of his moral philosophy. This quote transcends time, urging contemporary society to acknowledge the courage it takes to forgive. In an era where conflicts and grudges can escalate into violence and enduring feuds, Gandhi’s words serve as a powerful call to foster strength through forgiveness, thereby healing divisions and building resilient communities.
Understanding Gandhi’s perspective on forgiveness is crucial for a society plagued by polarization and resentment. It challenges individuals to rise above pettiness and to act with magnanimity. In a world brimming with discord, Gandhi’s teachings encourage us to embrace forgiveness, not as a sign of weakness, but as a formidable force for social transformation and personal liberation. His legacy of strength through peace and forgiveness continues to inspire and guide those seeking to create a just and harmonious world.
Gandhi says: “A ‘No’ uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.”
Gandhi says: “A man of character will make himself worthy of any position he is given.”
Gandhi says: “A man who is truthful and does not mean ill even to his adversary will be slow to believe charges even against his foes. He will, however, try to understand the viewpoints of his opponents and will always keep an open mind and seek every opportunity of serving his opponents.”
Gandhi says: “A thousand candles can be lighted from the flame of one candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness can be spread without diminishing that of yourself.”
Gandhi says: “A weak man is just by accident. A strong but non-violent man is unjust by accident.”
Gandhi says: “All humanity is one undivided and indivisible family. I cannot detach myself from the wickedest soul.”
Gandhi says: “Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.”
Gandhi says: “An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.”
Gandhi says: “An unjust law is itself a species of violence. Arrest for its breach is more so. Now the law of nonviolence says that violence should be resisted not by counter-violence but by nonviolence. This I do by breaking the law and by peacefully submitting to arrest and imprisonment.”
Gandhi says: “As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world – that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.”
Gandhi says: “Behaviour is the mirror in which we can display our image.”
Gandhi says: “Birth and death are not two different states, but they are different aspects of the same state.”
Gandhi says: “But you can wake a man only if he is really asleep. No effort that you make will produce any effect upon him if he is merely pretending sleep.”
Gandhi says: “Distinguish between real needs and artificial wants and control the latter.”
Gandhi says: “Do not crave to know the views of others, nor base your intent thereon. To think independently for yourself is a sign of fearlessness.”
Gandhi says: “Do not worry in the least about yourself, leave all worry to God,’ – this appears to be the commandment in all religions.
This need not frighten anyone. He who devotes himself to service with a clear conscience, will day by day grasp the necessity for it in greater measure, and will continually grow richer in faith. The path of service can hardly be trodden by one who is not prepared to renounce self-interest, and to recognize the conditions of his birth. Consciously or unconsciously, every one of us does render some service or other. If we cultivate the habit of doing this service deliberately, our desire for service will steadily grow stronger, and will make not only for our own happiness but that of the world at large.”
Gandhi says: “Don’t talk about it. The rose doesn’t have to propagate its perfume. It just gives it forth, and people are drawn to it. Live it, and people will come to see the source of your power.”
Gandhi says: “Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances.”
Gandhi says: “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.”
Gandhi says: “Ethically they had arrived at the conclusion that man’s supremacy over lower animals meant not that the former should prey upon the latter, but that the higher should protect the lower, and that there should be mutual aid between the two as between man and man. They had also brought out the truth that man eats not for enjoyment but to live.”
Gandhi says: “Every home is a university and the parents are the teachers.”
Gandhi says: “Every worthwhile accomplishment, big or little, has its stages of drudgery and triumph: a beginning, a struggle, and a victory.”
Gandhi says: “Faith is not something to grasp, it is a state to grow into.”
Gandhi says: “Fearlessness is the first requisite of spirituality. Cowards can never be moral.”
Gandhi says: “Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
Gandhi says: “Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.”
Gandhi says: “Gentleness, self-sacrifice and generosity are the exclusive possession of no one race or religion.”
Gandhi says: “God, help me to tell the truth to the strong and to avoid telling lies to get the weak’s applause. If you give me success, do not take away my humility. If you give me humility, do not take away my dignity. God, help me to see the other side of the medal. Don’t let me blame others of treason just because they don’t think they like me. God, teach me to love people as I love myself and to judge me as I judge others. Please, don’t let me be proud if I succed, or fall in despair if I fall. Remind me that failure is the experience that precedes triumph. Teach me that forgiving is the most important in the strong and that revenge is the most primitive sigh in the weak. If you take away my success, let me keep my strength to succeed from failure. If I fall people, give me courage to apologize and if people fail me, give me courage to forgive them. God, if I forget you, please do not forget me.”
Gandhi says: “Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.”
Gandhi says: “Hate the sin and not the sinner is a precept which, though easy enough to understand, is rarely practiced, and that is why the poison of hatred spreads in the world… It is quite proper to resist and attack a system, but to resist and attack its author is tantamount to resisting and attacking oneself. for we are all tarred with the same brush, and are children of one and the same Creator, and as such the divine powers within us are infinite. To slight a single human being is to slight those divine powers, and thus to harm not only that being but with him the whole world.”
