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Re: Real Hindu View of Ahimsa (Non-Violence)
In article <30n225$a9q@ucunix.san.uc.edu> Jaldhar Vyas <jvyas@ritz.mordor.com> writes:
> Gandhi
> was stretching things a bit when he said the Gita teaches non-violence.
> His views are more like those of Jainism. In fact it is probable that
> his views of Ahimsa came, not from Christianity, but from a 19th century
> Jain author called Raichand (Rajachandra) Mehta whose writings were
> popular in Gujarat.
While Gandhi himself says that as a child he was influenced by people
of many religions, I think the primary source for his Ahimsa is his
Vaishnavism. A perusal of his autobiography should make this clear.
His reading of the Bible and his understanding of Jainism only increased
his belief in Ahimsa.
We should remember that Narsinh Mehta's 'Vaishnava Janato' was one
of Gandhi's favorite songs.
Mani
