Observations & Views:
by Mahatma Gandhi
I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house, as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any. I refuse to live in other people's houses as an interloper, a beggar or a slave.
- Young India (2), June 1, 1921
In this respect, religion stands on the same footing as culture. Just as preservation of one's own culture does not mean contempt for that of others, but requires assimilation of the best that there may be in all the other cultures, even so should be the case with religion. Our present fears and apprehensions are a result of the poisonous atmosphere that has been generated in the country, the atmosphere of mutual hatred, ill-will and distrust. We are constantly laboring under a nightmare of fear lest someone should stealthily undermine our faith or the faith of those who are dear and near to us. But this unnatural state will cease when we have learned to cultivate respect and tolerance towards other religions and their votaries.
- Young India, December 6, 1928
When, therefore, I talk of respecting the ancient tradition, you now understand what I mean. Though I see the same God in the Bhagavad Gita as I see in the Bible and the Koran, but I say to the Hindu boys that they will derive greater inspiration from the Bhagavad Gita because they will be tuned to the Gita more than to any other book.
- Young India, September 22, 1927
My views on foreign missionaries are no secret. I have more than once expounded them before missionary audiences.
If instead of confining themselves purely to humanitarian work such as education, medical services to the poor and the like, they would use these activities of theirs for the purpose of proselytizing, I would certainly like them to withdraw. Every nation considers its own faith to be as good as that of any other. Certainly the great faiths held by the people of India are adequate for her people. India stands in no need of conversion from one faith to another.
Let me now amplify this bold statement. I hold that proselytizing under the cloak of humanitarian work is, to say the least, unhealthy. It is most certainly resented by the people here. Religion after all is a deeply personal matter; it touches the heart. Why should I change my religion because a doctor who professes Christianity as his religion has cured me of some disease, or why should the doctor expect or suggest such a change whilst I am under his influence? Is not medical relief its own reward and satisfaction? Or why should I, whilst I am in a missionary educational institution, have Christian teaching thrust upon me? In my opinion these practices are not uplifting, and give rise to suspicion, if not even secret hostility. The methods of conversion must be, like Caesar's wife, above suspicion. Faith is not imparted like secular subjects. It is given through the language of the heart. If a man has a living faith in him, it spreads its aroma like the rose its scent. Because of its invisibility, the extent of its influence is far wider than that of the visible beauty of the color of petals.
- Young India, April 23, 1931
I believe that there is no such thing as conversion from one faith to another in the accepted sense of the term. It is a highly personal matter for the individual and his God. I may not have any design upon my neighbor as to his faith which I must honor even as I honor my own. For I regard all the great religions of the world as true, at any rate for the people who profess them, as mine is true for me. Having reverently studied the scriptures of the world, I have no difficulty in perceiving the beauties of them all. I could no more think of asking a Christian or a Mussulman or a Parsi or a Jew to change his faith than I would think of changing my own. This makes me no more oblivious of the limitations of the professors of those faiths, than it makes me of the grave limitations of the professors of mine. And seeing that it takes all my resources in trying to bring my practice to the level of my faith and preaching the same to my coreligionists, I do not dream of preaching to the followers of other faiths. 'Judge not lest ye be judged' is a sound maxim for one's conduct. It is a conviction daily growing upon me that the great and rich Christian missions will render true service to India, if they can persuade themselves to confine their activities to humanitarian services without the ulterior motive of converting India or at least her unsophisticated villagers to Christianity.
- Harijan, September 28, 1935
Given the argument, "Jesus suffered and atoned for all the sins of mankind. Only he who accepts his great redemption can have eternal peace,", Mahatma Gandhi said "If this be Christianity I cannot accept it. I do not seek redemption from the consequences of my sin." (3)
Mahatma Gandhi wrote, "Why should I change when I find in the Bhagavad Gita all that I find in the Sermon on the Mount? . . .
"Thus, though we may utter the same words about God, they may not bear the same meaning for us all. But what does that matter? We do not need to proselytize either by our speech or by our writing. We can only do so really with our lives. Let our lives be an open book for all to study."
by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan
It is a bold affirmation of an untruth to argue that social service is unknown to the Hindus. Much capital is made out of the treatment of the untouchables. It is not remembered that a free India rendered them much greater service than what other free countries even in recent times have done for their backward classes. How have the superior nations civilized the Tasmanian and Australian aborigines, certain Maori peoples and North American Indian tribes? We generally refine them into extinction and where that is not possible, we sink them into the slough of vice and crime worse than any normal expressions of savage life. If the Kaffir has multiplied under the British protection and the Javanese under the Dutch, if the populations of Straits Settlements and British India have not vanished before their civilizers, it is because a good God has put in a climate unfavorable to the civilizers.
Here is a quotation from the document approved by the Roman Catholic Church after the recent meeting of the Catholic Bishops held in Delhi under the guidance of the Pope. "Just as in the first millennium the Cross was planted on the soil of Europe and in the second on the soil of the Americas and Africa, we can pray that in the third millennium a great harvest of faith will be reaped in this vast and vital continent of Asia." Practice of such dogmas has led to considerable violence in the history of mankind. We, the followers of ancient Indian religions including Jainism, believe in nonviolence, compassion and tolerance. So we should refrain from such brashness - flagrant disregard of propriety and arrogant assumption of privilege. Indian religions and philosophies teach that religion protects us from the unpleasant experiences of our worldly existence. We do not have to protect or propagate religion under any pretension including the guise of saving one's soul, or out of love and compassion. We realize that consequences of such endeavors have wreaked devastation in the history of mankind.
Religion can not be separated from actions of state or of individuals in power. Religious leaders, social workers, politicians and heads of states, instead of practicing the teachings of their respective religions, are engaged in promoting their own ego and designs under the guise of enhancing various good causes. Flames of selfishness and greed, fanned by spirit of domination and religious fervor (which is kept in the background in many instances), have engulfed the entire globe. Shri M. V. Kamath writes (5), "That Christianity to this day is hand-in-glove with a new form of economic imperialism is becoming evident by the day. Not so well-known is the fact that in taking crucial decisions like granting loans to Third World countries, the World Bank consults the Pope." Shri Kamath further observes, " . . . if Christianity means love and understanding, there are no Christians in Europe (or anywhere else). Is it necessary to remind the Pope that two of the bloodiest wars in history are the two world wars started by Christians in Europe that saw entire cities decimated? Was it Christian Germany that sent some 5 million Jews to the gas chambers? Was it Catholic Spain that drove Moslems out of the country and demolished their Masjids (mosques)? Was it the Christian United States that dropped two nuclear bombs, one on Hiroshima and another on Nagasaki? Was it done in the spirit of love and understanding?" Humanity has suffered on account of similar deeds of the followers of some other religions as well. The agony is still continues. May be the religions and religious leaders should look inward.
Regardless of what others have done or are doing, we should keep in mind that our religion is individualistic. We should pursue spiritual advancement of self without making an adverse impact on others or on the environment. We should not indulge in establishing the superiority of our beliefs or practices, and we should abstain from trying to change others. This is true practice of nonviolence. This is love, compassion, understanding and tolerance. We should learn from the history of mankind. We need not be concerned about protecting our religion. We should trust that if we follow the teachings our religion, there will be peace and harmony all around us. - D. C. J.
Describing the state of society at the time of Bhagwaan Mahaveer, Dr. Nemi Chand Jain, editor of the prestigious journal 'TIRTHANKAR', writes (6): The form of religion prevalent those days was in the bloody clutch of exploitation, violence, suppression and cruelty. Religion had become the personal property of a few elite members of society. Ritualism was prominent, knowledge was secondary. Common people were eager to know reality but they did not find any window of opportunity for obtaining the pristine view of truth. Common man saw no alternative than to become involved in cruel and violent ritualistic practices. He had to accept and follow what was ordained by a few dogmatic individuals. Salvation had become a nefarious enterprise. Numerous misconceptions and difficulties had consumed the religious, philosophical, and moralistic aspects of the lives of common people. People had forgotten the distinction between religion and philosophy. Incognizant of aspects of reality, they were coerced into treading the abominable trails of common rituals. The chains of violence, greed, injustice and repression had constricted the lives of common people.
In another article, Dr. Satya P. Kaushal has observed (7), "Visit any holy place or a Hindu temple to see a colossal waste of fruits, flowers, food and cloth. You will see hoards of devotees milling around and the loudspeakers blaring BHAJANs (religious songs), which no one pays attention to. . . . Why are we wasting huge sums of money and materials?"
Except for the gross violence and cruelty mentioned by Dr. Nemi Chand Jain in his article, we Jains, here, as well as in India, indulge in a variety of charades in the name of religion, while the need of the hour is for us to return to the basic teachings of Bhagwaan Mahaveer. We should avoid meaningless rituals, and inculcate virtues such as rationalism, nonviolence, vegetarianism, truth and non-possessiveness in our daily lives. This constitutes a genuine practice of the Jain religion. - D. C. J.
Here is a quotation from the story 'The Mysterious Ways Of God' published in the column 'Children's Corner' of a notable Jain magazine: "God does not do anything directly, but He functions through us. . . . the method of His functioning is rather mysterious."
The story continues with incidents depicting how God makes people do things.
Recently, another Jain institution has sent a card. Among other things, it says, "Today let's pray for others who cannot pray for themselves."
Both items imply a very distorted view of the Jain religion. Jains believe that God does not interfere in the affairs of the universe. Further, there is no mysticism or miracles in Jainism. Thus the story contradicts the Jain theory of karma and the Jain concept of self-reliance. As far as praying for those who cannot pray for themselves is concerned, we Jains do not believe that a prayer or worship performed by one individual is going to help someone else. Followers of other religions may pray to God believing that He will help those who are in need of food, shelter, protection, wisdom, and so on and so forth. Jainism does not subscribe to this concept. (8)
We need to clean up our traditions and practices. Our speech and expressions should conform to the concept of reality in Jainism. - D. C. J.
Footnotes:
1) Although times have changed and we are living in a different set of circumstances, in my view, Mahatma Gandhi's observations are extremely relevant for us. - D. C. J. Back up
2) Young India and Harijan were the periodicals published by Mahatma Gandhi. Back up
3) Please see Jain Study Circular, July 1986, pages 5-9. Back up
4) From 'The Philosophy Of Hinduism', published by Good Companions, Vadodara, India 1998, page 40 (Originally published in the International Journal of Ethics) Back up
5) India Tribune, December 18, 1999.
The original article had been reproduced from Indian Express.
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6) Posted on webdunia.com of January 11, 2000. Back up
7) India Tribune, posted on the website indiatribune.com, December 23, 1999. Back up
8) In this context, please see 'Independence of all entities of the universe' presented in this issue, on page 12. Back up