mindofmahatmagandhi

The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi
I have not the capacity for preaching universal non-violence. I preach,
therefore, non-violence restricted strictly to the purpose of winning our
freedom and, therefore, perhaps for preaching the regulation of international
relations by non-violent means. Before I can preach universal non-violence, I
must be wholly free from passions, I must be wholly incapable of sin. (H, 25-1-
1942, p15)
My preaching and teaching are not emotional or unpractical, for I teach what is
ancient and strive to practice what I preach. And I claim that what I practice is
capable of being practiced by all, because I am a very ordinary mortal open to
the same temptations and liable to the same weaknesses as the least among us.
(YI, 15-12-1927, p424)
While I prate about Universal Non-violence, my experiment is confined to India.
If it succeeds, the world will accept it without effort. There is, however, a bit
BUT. The pause does not worry me. My faith is brightest in the midst of
impenetrable darkness. (H, 11-2-1939, p8)
Somehow or other, I dread a visit to Europe and America. Not that I distrust the
peoples of these great continents any more than I distrust my own, but I
distrust myself. I have no desire to go to the West in search of health or for
sightseeing. I have no desire to deliver public speeches. I detest being lionized.
I wonder if I shall ever again have the health to stand the awful strain of public
speaking and public demonstrations.
If God ever sent me to the West, I should go there to penetrate the hearts of
the masses, to have quiet talks with the youth of the West and have the
privilege of meeting kindred spirits--lovers of peace at any price save that of
truth.
But I feel that I have as yet no message to deliver personally to the West. I
believe my message to be universal, but as yet I feel that I can best deliver it
through my work in my own country. If I can show visible success in India, the
delivery of the message becomes complete.
If I came to the conclusion that India had no use for my message, I should not
care to go elsewhere in search of listeners even though I still retained faith in
it. If I ventured out of India, I should do so because I have faith, though I
cannot demonstrate it to the satisfaction of all, that the message is being
received by India, be it ever so slowly. (M, II, p417)
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