Satyagraha

Satyagraha: truth, non-violence, self-sacrifice
"In the application of Satyagraha, I discovered, in the earliest stages, that pursuit of Truth did not admit of violence being inflicted on one's opponent, but that he must be weaned from error by patience and sympathy. For, what appears to be truth to the one may appear to be error to the other. And patience means self-suffering. So the doctrine came to mean vindication of Truth, not by infliction of suffering on the opponent but one's own self."
- Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi was murdered on this date 59 years ago. Like many other slain prophets, Gandhi stood for non-violence in the face of violent oppression. He was preceded, and succeeded, by many others that used peaceful, civil disobedience to win over their oppressors. Here are more words from Gandhi...

"Nonviolence is a weapon of the strong"

"What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?"

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

"The Roots of Violence: Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Commerce without morality, Science without humanity, Worship without sacrifice, Politics without principles."

"I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent."

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall -- think of it, always."