Truth
"Truth
is the first to be sought for, and Beauty and Goodness will then
be added unto you."
"Truth
is what the voice within tells you."
"Truth
and nonviolence will never be destroyed."
"Truth
is like a vast tree which yields more and more fruit the more
you nurture it."
"Truth
alone will endure, all the rest will be swept away before the
tide of time."
"Every
truth is self-acting and possesses inherent strength."
"Truth,
which is permanent, eludes the historian of events. Truth transcends
history."
"Truth
and nonviolence demand that no human being may debar himself from
serving any other human being, no matter how sinful he may be."
"An
error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation,
nor does truth become error because nobody sees it."
"Truth
without humility would be an arrogant caricature."
"The
quest of truth involves self-suffering, sometimes even up to death."
Justice
"Justice
will come when it is deserved by our being and feeling strong."
"Justice
does not help those who slumber but helps only those who are vigilant."
"Peace
will not come out of a clash of arms but out of justice lived
and done by unarmed nations in the face of odds."
Freedom
"Freedom
is like birth. Till we are fully free, we are slaves."
"Freedom
received through the efforts of others, however benevolent, cannot
be retained when such effort is withdrawn."
"No
society can possibly be built on a denial of individual freedom."
"True
nonviolence should mean a complete freedom from ill will and anger
and hate and an overflowing love for all."
Fear
"Where
there is fear, there is not religion."
"It
is weakness which breeds fear, and fear breeds distrust."
"The
golden rule is to act fearlessly upon what one believes to be
right."
"Fearlessness
presupposes calmness and peace of mind."
Independence
"Independence
means voluntary restraints and discipline, voluntary acceptance
of the rule of law."
"Complete
independence does not mean arrogant isolation or a superior disdain
for all help."
If
it is man's privilege to be independent, it is equally his duty
to be inter-dependent."
Civil
Disobedience
"Civil
disobedience is the assertion of a right which law should give
but which it denies."
"Civil
disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the State becomes lawless
corrupt."
"Disobedience
to be civil implies discipline, thought, care, attention."
"Disobedience
that is wholly civil should never provoke retaliation."
"Non-cooperation
and civil disobedience are different but branches of the same
tree call Satyagraha (truth-force)."
Character
"Your
character must be above suspicion and you must be truthful and
self controlled."
"The
truest test of civilization, culture and dignity is character,
not clothing."
"Men
of stainless character will easily inspire confidence and automatically
purify the atmosphere around them."
"All
your scholarship would be in vain if at the same time you do not
build your character and attain mastery over your thoughts and
your actions."
Noncooperation
"Noncooperation
means refusal both to help the sinner in his sin and to accept
any help or gift from him till he has repented."
"Noncooperation
is measure of discipline and sacrifice and it demands respect
for the positive views."
"Nonviolent
noncooperation with evil means cooperation with all that is good."
"Noncooperation
is intended to pave the way to real, honorable and voluntary cooperation
based on mutual respect and trust."
"Real
noncooperation is noncooperation with evil and not with the evil
doer."
"Non-cooperation
with evil is as much a duty as cooperation with good."
Democracy
"Democracy
necessarily means a conflict of will and ideas, involving sometimes
a war to the knife between different ideas."
"The
very essence of democracy is that every person represents all
the varied interests which compose the nation."
"Democracy
is a great institution and, therefore, it is liable to be greatly
abused."
"Democracy
is an impossible thing until the power is shared by all, but let
not democracy degenerate into mobocracy."
"My
notion of democracy is that under it the weakest should have the
same opportunity as the strongest."
"To
safeguard democracy the people must have a keen sense of independence,
self-respect and their oneness."
"In
true democracy every man and women is taught to think for himself
or herself."
"The
spirit of democracy cannot be established in the midst of terrorism,
whether governmental or popular."
Discipline
"Conscience
is the ripe fruit of strictest discipline."
Faith
"Faith
gains in strength only when people are willing to lay down their
lives for it."
"What
is faith if it is not translated into action?"
"Faith
is not imparted like secular subjects. It is given through the
language of the heart."
"Nonviolence
succeeds only when we have a real living faith in God."
"My
effort should never be to undermine another's faith but to make
him a better follower of his own faith."
"My
faith is brightest in the midst of impenetrable darkness."
"Nonviolence
is the first article of my faith. It is also the last article
of my creed."
"Even
as a tree has a single trunk but many branches and leaves, there
is one religion -human religion- but any number of faiths."
Food
Fasting
"Fasting
is an institution as old as Adam. It has been resorted to for
self-purification or for some ends, noble as well as ignoble."
"A
complete fast is a complete and literal denial of self. It is
the truest prayer."
"A
genuine fast cleanses the body, mind and soul. It crucifies the
flesh and to that extent sets the soul free."
"What
the eyes are for the outer world, fasts are for the inner."
Morality
"True
morality consists not in following the beaten track, but in finding
out the true path for ourselves and in fearlessly following it."
"To
observe morality is to attain mastery over our mind and our passions."
Patriotism
"My
patriotism is not an exclusive thing. It is all-embracing and
I should reject that patriotism which sought to mount the distress
or exploitation of other nationalities."
"By
patriotism I mean the welfare of the whole people, if I secure
it at the hands of my opponent, I should bow down my head to him."
Satyagraha
- Satyagrahi
"Satyagraha
is a process of educating public opinion, such that it covers
all the elements of the society and makes itself irresistible."
"Satyagraha
is a relentless search for truth and a determination to search
truth."
"The
fight of Satyagraha is for the strong in spirit, not the doubter
or the timid. Satyagraha teaches us the art of living as well
as dying."
"Satyagraha,
of which civil-resistance is but a part, is to me the universal
law of life."
"Satyagraha
is a law of universal application. Beginning with the family,
its use can be extended to every other circle."
"Satyagraha
does not depend on the outside help, it derives all its strength
from within."
"The
method of satyagraha requires that the satyagrahi should never
lose hope, so long as there is the slightest ground left for it."
"For
a satyagraha brigade only those are eligible who believe in ahimsa-nonvionlence
and satya-truth."
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