Religious : An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth

An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth

EUR 8,88


Gandhi s nonviolent struggles in South Africa and India had already brought him to such a level of notoriety, adulation, and controversy that when asked to write an autobiography midway through his career, he took it as an opportunity to explain himself. Although accepting of his status as a great innovator in the struggle against racism, violence, and, just then, colonialism, Gandhi feared that enthusiasm for his ideas tended to exceed a deeper understanding. He says that he was after truth rooted in devotion to God and attributed the turning points, successes, and challenges in his life to the will of God. His attempts to get closer to this divine power led him to seek purity through simple living, dietary practices (he called himself a fruitarian), celibacy, and ahimsa, a life without violence. It is in this sense that he calls his book The Story of My Experiments with Truth, offering it also as a reference for those who would follow in his footsteps. A reader expecting a complete accounting of his actions, however, will be sorely disappointed. Although Gandhi presents his episodes chronologically, he happily leaves wide gaps, such as the entire satyagraha struggle in South Africa, for which he refers the reader to another of his books. And writing for his contemporaries, he takes it for granted that the reader is familiar with the major events of his life and of the political milieu of early 20th-century India. For the objective story, try Yogesh Chadha s Gandhi: A Life. For the inner world of a man held as a criminal by the British, a hero by Muslims, and a holy man by Hindus, look no further than these experiments. --Brian Bruya

Everyone should read this book - In his own words, Gandhi takes us through some of the experiences in his life, with each chapter forming at least one important learning lesson to him. All experiences, whether good or bad, had a positive learning lesson on him and contributed to his goal of seeking the truth.One of his main beliefs was using non-violence as a means of protesting against acts of oppression and using international law to seek justice. This meant he never raised his fists or lowered himself to barbarism however much he was provoked, violated or attacked. In fact this seems to be the opposite attitude demonstrated by all terrorists and most countries (West, Middle East and East) where the belief is that violence and war works. As Gandhi says an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.As we have now entered the third of the world wars, where the weapons are horrific and the consequences unimaginable, Gandhi s words have never been more important. All politicians and world leaders should read this book. In fact everyone should read this book.

Meet Gandhi, the man. - Unlike a couple readers below, I was pleasantly surprised to find this a very readable and well-written story. I felt like I was meeting the great reformer in person, with no interpreters or spin doctors between us. Gandhi surprised me with his transparency. He honestly expresses doubts about (or limited awareness of) God, his own weaknesses, and the mistreatment of women in Hinduism. He frankly relates quarrels with his wife (numerous bickerings that end in peace, with the wife the victor -- I wonder about that part, though) and that his son disagreed with his ascetic lifestyle. I gave this book five stars not because I agree with all of Gandhi s ideas, but because he explains them well, the stories he tells are so interesting, because the search for truth is what life is all about, and because Gandhi is one of the great figures of the 20th Century. A couple years ago I did a research paper on the young Mao Zedong. One thing that surprised me here was to find that, despite their very different attitudes about violence, the fathers of the world s two biggest modern states shared much in common. Both agreed that the life of labor is the only life worth living, and founded communes with friends as young men. Both strengthened themselves through ascetic self-disciplines. Both were men of contemplation and action. Both shared an ambivalent relation to the party that was the vehicle of their success, yet were also masters at the use of power. Both freed their countries from foreign domination over many decades, by use of dialectic strategy and an appeal to the peasants. Gandhi was a man of ideas and of action, and also I think of passion, despite his philosophical commitment to desirelessness. I found the book engaging on all three levels, though I also was disappointed that it ended without relating later actions in the history of India s movement towards independence.Gandhi seemed to live with a great deal of guilt, which he relates to the death of his father, revealed in his attitude towards sex and eating. Renunciation without aversion is not lasting, he quotes a pundit. He seemed to feel life itself was occasion for guilt. Man cannot for a moment live without commiting outward himsa, destruction of life. In this regard, of course, Gandhi and Mao were opposites, the latter embracing an ideology that encouraged him to locate guilt in the other, the former one by which he took on the guilt of others. As a Christian, one of the most interesting parts of the book was his visit to the temple to Kali. He was horrified by the animal sacrifices he saw. To my mind the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being, he noted. I must go through more self-purification and sacrifice, before I can hope to save these lambs . . . . He said he prayed constantly that some great spirit of a person would bring an end to these immoral sacrifices. Yet the people doing the sacrifices were themselves looking for a solution to the same problem of guilt that haunted Gandhi, as well as Tolstoy, his hero. This shows that the wisdom of Gandhi was not all the wisdom of India, still less of humanity. The Rig Veda says that sacrifice is the mainstay of the world and the only way to find forgiveness of sins. It spoke of a God who would sacrifice himself for the sins of the people, in prophetic imagery remarkably similar to the events recorded in the Gospels. And, when Jesus died, animals were no longer sacrificed. I wonder if it ever occurred to Gandhi that his prayer for lambs (not to mention guilt-ridden people) had already been answered at the cross?author, Jesus and the Religions of Mand.marshall@sun.ac.jp

Not what I expected - I had high expectations of this book and I was disappointed. I believe Ghandi was one of the greatest, moral, and just citizens of the ages. But the book itself is fairly dull. I found the majority of it to be Ghandi obsessing on political beaurocracy, name dropping, and discussing his diet ad-infinitum. He comes across as quite a humourless man which makes the autobiography read like a dull textbook. I struggled to finish it. Its also disappointing because it was written before Ghandi achieved arguably his greatest achievements. I advise the reader with only a casual interest in Ghandi to pick up something else.

I m giving this a 4 because... - ....I wish it had been longer, it leaves off before some of Gandhi s most interesting experimenting with soul-force. Still, it s very much worth reading, the initial pages dedicated to devotional sentiments about his parents and pointed remarks about his badness giving way to good autobiography mixed with his other interests. A remarkable man.

A very honest and great man - This is a must read for everyone, it is a study not only of Ghandi, not only of India nor nonviolence, it is a study of what it is to be a human being. Ghandi was a great man but he was also a very human man -one not clouded by the overbuilt ego of other great leaders, but rather a man not afraid to show his own weaknesses. I was taken by this book and believe that if you decide to read you too will be charmed.




An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth