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Gandhi’s principlesLive as if you were to die tomorrow.Learn as if you were to live forever.TruthGandhi dedicated his life to the wider purpose of discovering truth. He tried toachieve this by learning from his own mistakes. Gandhi stated that the most importantbattle to fight was overcoming his own demons, fears, and insecurities.NonviolenceThe concept of nonviolence and nonresistance has a long history in Indian religiousthought and has had many revivals in Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Jewish and Christiancontexts. He is quoted as saying, e.g.:▶ When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truthand love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and fora time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall — think of it,always.▶ Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind.It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by theingenuity of man.▶ What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans,and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought underthe name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty and democracy?▶ An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.▶ There are many causes that I am prepared to die for but no causesthat I am prepared to kill for.▶ Poverty is the greatest violence.▶ Nonviolence is a quality not of the body but of the soul.▶ Nonviolence is not a weapon of the weak. It is a weapon of the strongestand the bravest.▶ Jesus was the most active resister known perhaps to history.His was nonviolence par excellence.VegetarianismAs Gandhi grew into adulthood, he became a strict vegetarian and inspired manypeople around the world to become vegetarian. To Gandhi, a vegetarian diet wouldnot only satisfy the requirements of the body, it would also serve an economic purposeas meat is generally more expensive than grains, vegetables and fruits. Also,many Indians of the time struggled with low income, thus vegetarianism was seennot only as a spiritual practice but also a practical one. He used fasting as a form ofG a n d h i ’s p r i n c i p l e s 309