Mahatma Gandhi: The Experiments with Truth towards Peace through Satyagraha

Abstract

This article has objective to study the concept of Mahatma Gandhi who performs Satyagraha that means firmness in Truth in order to require peace in Indian society. Gandhi has begun to perform this approach to require the fairness for Indian workers in South Africa. When he came back motherland he performs the same struggle as South Africa. The principles of Satyagraha consist of three components are as follows: 1) God is the Truth; 2) the way reached the Truth is Non-violence; and 3) Non-violence will be happened by Self-sacrifice. These principles are the experiments with truth of Gandhi that is the attainment to God. Hence, Satyagraha which appeals in his struggle movement to opponents is self-struggle as well. It is the attainment of internal and external peace. Internal peace is to face the truth himself which is similar to attain God. Latter one is to meet the requirement for self-rules of Indians. For this reason, Gandhi’s ideas are divided into three theories and performances of struggle movement as follow: 1) philosophy: it is a middle way to improve human beings’ ability, especially to achieve the superman through master morality; 2) religion: it is a practical way to integrate all religious teachings about non-violence and to obtain the goal of religion by facing the truth; and 3) leadership: his approach can persuade people to follow voluntarily, so he is the super leadership who can lead people to lead others. Therefore, Gandhi’s leadership is properly affixed name as “Mahatma,” means “Great Soul.” From the way that Gandhi has fought with the above principles of Satyagraha, it becomes the true peace, both of internal and external.