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Mahatma Gandhi - Hinduism

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Mahatma Gandhi - Hinduism
Mahatma Gandhi- Hinduism

Hinduism is a worldwide religious belief based upon the knowledge of the Veda and the Vedic Indo-Iranian religion. It includes countless religious traditions that vary between practices. It also includes several different philosophies. Hinduism is the world’s oldest existing major religion.

A believer, teacher and major idol in the Hindu faith is Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi was born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on October 2nd, 1869 in Porbandar, India. Gandhi became one of the most known and loved spiritual and political leaders of the 1900 's. He helped the Indian people become free from the British rule, though through a nonviolent opposition. Gandhi is treasured by Indians as the ‘father’ of the Indian Nation. Gandhi was labeled ‘Mahatma’ meaning ‘Great Soul’ by the Indian people. When he was aged 13 Gandhi was married to a girl of the same age called Kasturba. Both their parents had arranged the marriage. Gandhi and his family had four children. He studied law in London and returned to India in 1891 to practice. In 1893 he took on a one-year contract to do legal work in South Africa.

After going to work in South Africa Gandhi saw how hard the Indian people had to fight to gain even the fewest of rights. After seeing the horrible way they were treated by the British occupants in South Africa at the age of 36 he began to abide by some of his mothers religious beliefs and became a very religious person. He practiced Ahimsa which was non-violence, Brahmacharya which was celibacy and Aparigraha which was non-possession.

Gandhi used Ahimsa, non-violence to help the Indian people obtain a better lifestyle and to teach others that there were other, better options than physical fighting. To practice this he created a method called Satyagraha based on the principles of courage, non-violence, and truth. With Satyagraha the way people choose to behave is more significant that what they may achieve. It was used by Gandhi and



Bibliography: IndianChild.org, (n.d.), Mahatma Gandhi – Mahatma Gandhi’s Biography, Life, Information, Pictures, 16/11/09, http://www.indianchild.com/mahatma_gandhi.htm. Mahatma.com, (2005), Mahatma – A biographical site for Mahatma Gandhi the father of India, 16/11/09, http://www.mahatma.com/php/showContent.php?linkid=8. Vale-New Haven Teachers Institute, (2009), Non-Violent Protest through the ages, 16/11/09, http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1987/3/87.03.02.x.html. Spiritus-Temporis.com, (2005), Mahatma Gandhi – Influence on Hindu Society, 16/11/09, http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/mahatma-gandhi/influence-on-hindu-society.html. Stan Griffin, (n.d.), GANDHI, 16/11/09, http://www.workersforjesus.com/gandhi.htm. Religion – Spirituality.org, (2009), Brief History of Early Hinduism, 16/11/09, http://www.religion-spirituality.org/hinduism/brief-history.php.

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