Civilization is the encouragement of differences. Civilization thus becomes a synonym of democracy. Force, violence, pressure, or compulsion with a view to conformity, is both uncivilized and undemocratic.
Mohandas Gandhi
The modern world provides access to technology, education, housing, and healthcare; but as consumers living in a contemporary and materialistic society, we tend to forget how people like Mahatma Gandhi used to live a simple life amidst a chaotic world each day.
The idea that we progressed and evolved for some time now, through better standards of living, education, and health is completely astonishing. Since time immemorial, moreover, we also made many discoveries in science and technology; and with the abundance of information, we gain unlimited access to the news, television, internet, magazines, and books, which shaped the way we see ourselves and the world around us on a daily basis.
Furthermore, amidst all these conveniences, human beings have since embarked on a Sisyphean task to understand their existence. And in order to believe in something significant, human beings turn to philosophy and eccentrics to provide novel means to view and constitute reality and experience. Philosophy, in this case, raises some of the deepest and widest questions about human existence and addresses issues that create an unending stream of ontological discussions. These endeavors, still, seem to dissatisfy a newer generation of knowledge-seekers and creates a myriad of genres that some philosophical antiquarians believe could revive their former appeal among historical curiosities, which they once took seriously.
In addition, while philosophers attempt to plot old methods of inquiry by combining various conceptual permutations until they find a likely fit to satisfy the curiosity of the common person and contemporary proponents of philosophy, our search for truth has sparked people like Mohandas Gandhi to redefine our goals in a modern world.
“Man liveth in a little cave,” said Plato to his disciples. “Come out of this cave!” And Plato, like the Rishis of India, said: “Coming out of the cave of desires is the very first step for the seeker after Truth.” And in order to come out of desires, you need to live a simple life.
Mahatma Gandhi was simple. Gandhi, some followers believe, had conquered desires and lived a simple life. Gandhi spoke of this message of the simple life wherever he went. For instance, on one occasion, Gandhi was asked to speak during a meeting of the Maharajas.
According to historical accounts, clad in simple rough khadi, Mahatma Gandhi addressed the Maharajas in India. “O Princes of India, renounce your jewelry and spend your money in the service of the poor!” The Maharajas did not understand his words of wisdom. Some laughed at him while some looked at him with much confusion. Hence, many of them left the meeting, one by one. But Gandhi went on speaking of the message of the simple life. Only the Chairman of the meeting remained. And, then, the Chairman too, left the meeting. Gandhi was left alone with the Alone! And Gandhi bowed low and sat down.
Gandhi bore witness to the message of the simple life. Gandhi was simplicity personified: he was a picture of the simple life! This message of the simple life is the need of not just India. Today, the world’s great men need to be simple men.
Although he was not an original thinker and his religious and philosophical convictions were inconsistent, Gandhi inspired future leaders like Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela to oppose and defeat injustice. Gandhi provided these great leaders a practical philosophy of life built not on hatred, conflict, and division but on love, truth and the good of all. In true keeping of this ideal, Gandhi taught that Love, Truth, and God are interchangeable terms and developed techniques to resist oppression that involved arousing compassion in the oppressor by the acceptance of suffering. Gandhi’s assumption was that love, being more fundamental than injustice, would eventually win.
Gandhi’s ideas were inspired by his personal philosophy of a simple life. His rejection of a welfare state criticized every person’s ability to be responsible for them. False desires, according to him, are at the root of the artificial life which we are living. Thus, Gandhi taught the truth of the Gita, the truth of self-restraint, and self-control. Gandhi, at last, taught that we must not be victims of desires because according to him, the man, who is a victim of desires, cannot live the truly simple life.
Gandhi’s message of self-restraint, many believe, echoes the beautiful words of the Yoga Vasishta: “Self-restraint is a gatekeeper at the palace of the Atman.” Mahatma Gandhi used the word, “Truth”: the ancient Rishis used the word, “Atman.” Blended with the simplicity of the Mahatma was his humility. “I am called Mahatma,” he said, “but I am an ordinary man. I have blundered, again and again.” These words spoke of a man of deep humility.
Finally, as many regard him as God’s gift to India, Gandhi serves as a servant of India and the servant of nations—Gandhi, the simple, was a man of deep humility.
COMMENTS ARE WELCOME.
Reference:
Reference withheld for Intellectual Property Rights purposes.
No comments:
Post a Comment