Gandhijino Jivan Dharm - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Gandhijino Jivan Dharm" by Sukhlal Sanghavi, focusing on the relationship between Mahatma Gandhi's life and Jainism:

The author, Sukhlal Sanghavi, begins by observing that while many national leaders, both within and outside India, strive for their nation's freedom, only Gandhi's life compels readers and observers to contemplate the role of religion in his life and activities. Unlike others whose actions are viewed purely through the lens of worldly gain or loss, Gandhi's endeavors—whether related to village industries, animal husbandry, agriculture, social reform, communal harmony, or political independence—prompt a deeper question: what is the underlying religious or spiritual force that fuels them? This inquiry arises even in individuals who may not be religious themselves, pondering whether such a life deeply immersed in activity can be religious, and if so, what specific religion it embodies.

Sanghavi then categorizes people's relationship with religion into three groups: the orthodox, the liberal, and the philosophical. He applies this to how different religious communities perceive Gandhi:

The Orthodox: Strict adherents of Hinduism, Islam, or Christianity might fail to see their respective traditions mirrored exactly in Gandhi's life and thus conclude he isn't a "true" follower of their faith. Similarly, orthodox Jains, upon not finding the literal outward practices of Jainism in Gandhi's life, might dismiss his connection to Jainism, especially noting his reverence for the Gita and Ramayana over Jain scriptures.
The Liberal: These individuals, being more introspective and observant of inner qualities, see their own religion reflected in Gandhi's life. A liberal Hindu might see Sanatan Dharma, a liberal Muslim might see Islam, and a liberal Jain would recognize the core principles of ahimsa (non-violence), samyam (restraint), and tapas (austerity) as the vital essence of Jainism in Gandhi's life.
The Philosophical: This group, looking beyond specific labels and focusing on the essence of religion, believes Gandhi's life embodies religion, but not as belonging to any particular sect. Instead, they see it as the life-force of all religions, transcending all sects—a freely achieved, independent religion. Sanghavi acknowledges that a few such philosophical thinkers exist within the Jain community who would view Gandhi's religious life as non-sectarian and broad, but would refrain from mistakenly labeling it as specifically Jainism in sectarian terms.

Sanghavi asserts his firm belief that the religion that emerged and developed in Gandhi's life is not tied to any single sect but encompasses all sects. He uses the analogy of a honeybee (madhukar) collecting nectar from various flowers (like tamarind, mango, neem, babul, rose, and champak), each with different tastes and scents. The bee transforms these diverse nectars through its activity and digestive power into honey, which is a new, independent substance. Honey is not sour like tamarind, bitter like neem, or fragrant like rose; it's a unique blend. Similarly, while Gandhi's life was influenced by various religions, he digested their essence through his own discernment and activity, creating a new, most harmonious form of religion. He didn't merely borrow or adopt religious elements; he internalized them, leading to a new religious perspective beneficial to all. Gandhi might respect the Vedas but wouldn't necessarily follow Vedic injunctions; he wouldn't abandon the Gita but wouldn't advocate for armed resistance as prescribed in it; he'd respect the Quran but wouldn't label non-believers as infidels; he'd embrace the Bible's message of love but deem forced conversion unnecessary. He might adopt the renunciation advocated in Sankhya, Jainism, and Buddhism, but unlike those who retreat to forests when the world burns, he wouldn't say "nothing burns for me."

Ahimsa from a Jain Perspective:

Sanghavi addresses the common perception that Gandhi's vegetarianism stemmed from a Jain vow and his ahimsa from the influence of Shrimad Rajchandra. While acknowledging these influences, Sanghavi argues that Gandhi's ahimsa has a distinct Jain orientation:

Milk Consumption: Gandhi's belief that taking milk from cows and buffaloes, separating it from their calves and calves, is a form of violence would likely be questioned by the Jain who administered his vegetarian vow, as they might not consider it such direct violence.
Euthanasia/Pest Control: If Shrimad Rajchandra were alive, he might be pleased with Gandhi's non-resistance but would likely disagree with Gandhi's view that mercy killing through injections for a suffering animal or exterminating monkeys that destroy crops is also a form of ahimsa in the context of social welfare. This represents a departure from the strict, often negative definition of ahimsa in Jainism.

Samyam and Tapas:

Sanghavi notes that Gandhi placed high importance on samyam and tapas, which are central to Jainism. However, he questions whether Gandhi's samyam and tapas would be recognized as purely Jain.

Brahmacharya (Celibacy): While Gandhi valued brahmacharya universally, his involvement in conducting marriages, blessing newlyweds, or approving divorces would likely lead most Jains to believe his brahmacharya wasn't the absolute, all-encompassing brahmacharya as understood in Jainism.
Fasting (Upvas): Even Gandhi's prolonged fasts, especially when he consumed lemon water or viewed them as tools for social and political purification alongside self-purification, would probably not be considered strict Jain tapas by Jains.

The Nature of Jain Ahimsa and Gandhi's Ahimsa:

Sanghavi delves into the core difference:

Jain Perspective: Jain tradition, rooted in a nivrittilakshi (renunciation-oriented) approach, defines ahimsa, samyam, and tapas primarily as the abandonment of worldly activities and desires. This led to a focus on individual spiritual liberation. Even as Jainism became more social, its fundamental orientation remained largely nivrittilakshi.
Gandhi's Perspective: Gandhi's spirituality is Mahayanic in nature, meaning he cannot find happiness without ensuring the happiness of others. His ahimsa, combined with this Mahayanic outlook, naturally turned towards universal welfare. His spiritual purification led him to the concept of detached action (anasakta karma yoga). Because he was imbued with ahimsa from his core, he extended it to all spheres of activity. While he strove to embody the Gita's anasakta karma yoga, he also made immense efforts to avoid the Gita's prescription of armed resistance.

Sanghavi concludes that while Jainism, in becoming social, retained a nivrittilakshi approach to ahimsa, Gandhi's ahimsa is both self-oriented and society-oriented, making worldly renunciation impossible. His conviction in the welfare of society compelled him to make statements and adopt practices that might seem contradictory but are, in reality, non-contradictory when viewed holistically.

Gandhi adopted the nivrittilakshi concept of ahimsa from Jain tradition, but he expanded its meaning so significantly for his goal of universal welfare that his ahimsa has become uniquely his own. He integrated various Indian and foreign concepts of ahimsa to suit his objectives, forming a new, independent religion.

In essence, Gandhi's life does not represent Jainism in its original or technical sense, nor Buddhism or any other sect in its sectarian sense. However, his life actively embodies a religion that harmoniously synthesizes the essential elements of all sectarian religions. Gandhi's soul is great because of the expansive development of his ahimsa.

The author suggests that if Gandhi hadn't been compelled to engage in large-scale activities or hadn't developed the intuition to apply ahimsa, samyam, and tapas in these contexts, his ahimsa might have remained within the strict confines of vows like vegetarianism. Conversely, if a capable Jain ascetic were entrusted with managing society and government, and wished to uphold Jain ahimsa while taking on these responsibilities, they would likely fail unless they redefined ahimsa to be socially applicable and practical, retaining its core of desire renunciation and virtue development.

Gandhi's religion is new and living. It's an unprecedented structure built upon old foundations, like a new painting created with the same canvas, brush, and colors. It's new music from the same musical notes. It's a unique dance using the same limbs. This is because, in Gandhi's vision, the line between the worldly and the otherworldly is blurred. His satisfaction comes from trying to extinguish the fire within the burning world, rather than escaping it. He yearns to achieve heaven or liberation within human life itself.