The Words of Gandhi: Essential Spiritual Wisdom and Timeless Thoughts on Peace, Nonviolence, and Faith

by Mahatma Gandhi, Richard Attenborough (Selected by), Johanna McGeary (Afterword)

Gandhi's ideas are as meaningful today as they were during his long and inspiring life. His enlightening thoughts and beliefs, especially on violence and the atomic bomb, reveal his eloquent foresight about our contemporary world. The words of one of the greatest men of the twentieth century, chosen by the award-winning director Richard Attenborough from Gandhi's letters, speeches, and published writings, explore the prophet's timeless thoughts on daily life, cooperation, nonviolence, faith, and peace. This bestselling volume includes an introduction by Attenborough and an afterword by Time magazine Senior Foreign Correspondent Johanna McGeary that places Gandhi's life and work in the historical context of the twentieth century. This book and the film Gandhi were the result of producer/director Richard Attenborough's long commitment to keeping alive the flame of Gandhi's spiritual achievement and the wisdom of his actions and his words. They are the wisdom and words of peace. Also included are twenty striking historical photographs, specially selected from the archives at the National Gandhi Museum in New Delhi, that capture the important personal, political, and spiritual aspects of Gandhi's career.

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy, History, Spirituality, Biography, Classics, Reference

128 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1982

About the author

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was the preeminent leader of Indian nationalism in British-ruled India. Employing non-violent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for non-violence, civil rights and freedom across the world.

The son of a senior government official, Gandhi was born and raised in a Hindu Bania community in coastal Gujarat, and trained in law in London. Gandhi became famous by fighting for the civil rights of Muslim and Hindu Indians in South Africa, using new techniques of non-violent civil disobedience that he developed. Returning to India in 1915, he set about organizing peasants to protest excessive land-taxes. A lifelong opponent of "communalism" (i.e. basing politics on religion) he reached out widely to all religious groups. He became a leader of Muslims protesting the declining status of the Caliphate. Assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress in 1921, Gandhi led nationwide campaigns for easing poverty, expanding women's rights, building religious and ethnic amity, ending untouchability, increasing economic self-reliance, and above all for achieving Swaraj—the independence of India from British domination. His spiritual teacher was the Jain philosopher/poet Shrimad Rajchandra.

Reviews

[Marco · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was expecting much more from this collection of quotes and meaningful adresses from Gandhi, and truth is I was a bit deceived. I was perhaps expecting deeper, timeless words, meanwhile most of the quotes relate to political events of Gandhi´s time. This reads easily though, and provided only a couple of those quotes really hit the spot and gave me food for thought, I was done reading the book in less than an hour.

If you´re interested in quotes from the Mahatma, don´t go further than the quote section in GoodReads, that´s where all the good ones are!

[VeNicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gandhi's resolve is unequivocal and sans pareil. His philosophies are still as applicable today, and worth considering in our present wars. (A peace brigade vs. a police force...?) His words radiate love for anything living. I thought of the atonement and Christ all throughout the book, and can't help but think Gandhi has a special place at the right hand of God! I love the concepts of satyagraha (truth/love/soul firmness) and ahimsa (lacking any desire to kill or injure anyone, practicing true love toward all living things), and learned a lot about the atonement as I tried to learn of Gandhi's ways. He teaches that our enemies can be respected and loved, but don't have to be conceded to. Contrary to what the human mind might think, it takes more strength and courage to be committed to loving your enemy and nonviolence than it does to fight with anger and hatred.

A few thoughts (of the many) I really love:
*What is faith worth if it is not translated into action?
*...the machineries of governments stand between and hide the hearts of one people from those of another. (Our brothers and sisters are Muslim! We have to think of them as separate from terrorists!)
*If we are to teach real peace in this world...we shall have to begin with children.
*I do not believe that the spiritual law works on a field of its own. On the contrary, it expresses itself only through the ordinary activities of life. It thus affects the economic, the social and the political fields.
*The Bible is as much a book of religion with me as the Gita and the Koran.
*I do not believe...that an individual may gain spiritually while those who surround him suffer. I believe in advaita, I believe in the essential unity of man and for that matter, of all that lives. Therefore, I believe that if one man gains spiritually, the whole world gains with him and if one man falls the whole world falls to that extent.

[Sherrill Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I have not the shadow of a doubt that any man or woman can achieve what I have, if he or she would make the same effort and cultivate the same hope and faith." Hey wait! Did Mahatma Gandhi say that too???


Really, this is a good book to read.

[Amrendra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a curated collection of the words of Mahatma Gandhi. He has written volumes in his life and to bring his writings to one book is the feat that has been accomplished here.

Divided in 5 parts - Daily Life, Co-operation, Non-Violence, Faith and Peace, the book captures much of the essence of Gandhi's thoughts. His words shine like the conscience of the world. The saint and the politician go hand in hand, proclaiming the power of love, peace and freedom.

[Rosa Ramôa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Acredita em Ti Mesmo


O homem converte-se aos poucos naquilo que acredita poder vir a ser. Se me repetir incessantemente a mim mesmo que sou incapaz de fazer determinada coisa, é possível que isso acabe finalmente por se tornar verdade. Pelo contrário, se acreditar que a posso fazer, acabarei garantidamente por adquirir a capacidade para a fazer, ainda que não a tenha num primeiro momento".

[Anton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this was a good introduction into Gandhi and what he taught. Mostly it is quotes from his writings over the years. Some really short and others pages long. It give a good overall view of the principles Gandhi lived by, or at least strove to live by. I also enjoyed the ten page afterward that summarized his life, not just his teachings. Now I feel like I have a base for the next book I read about Gandhi.

[Lindsey Gandhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gandhi's philosophies were powerful at a critical time in India's history. I believe many of these could possibly be relevant in the state of affairs the world is in today. Some of his speeches get a little wordy to read through. However, he was a powerful thinker and one you should take the time to read about. Maybe if we all adopted just one of his ideas on peace and sacrifice, the world would be a much calmer place.

[Ugh · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't read this with the deliberation it probably merits and possibly even requires. But I stand by my score. Reading Ghandi's words with next to no foreknowledge of my own and next to no context supplied here, they just didn't move me. There are a few pithy aphorisms, but the longer passages meant very little to me standing on their own like this. I'd have been better off reading a biography.

[Alexis]

More research for my book. Wee!

[Fabiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Voglio realizzare la fratellanza o l’identità non solo con gli esseri chiamati umani; voglio identificarmi con ogni forma di vita, anche con gli esseri che strisciano sulla terra.”

[Hstewart01]

First edition

[Eric Weisheit · Rating 3 out of 5]

God is truth.

[June · Rating 2 out of 5]

A compilation of Gandhi’s quotes - this book would serve as a good introduction to Gandhi’s ideals and core beliefs such as nonviolence, non-cooperation and civil disobedience. However, without context, some quotes may appear to be out of place. And as a result, I personally have difficulty finishing this book although it is a really short one.

-

”All is well with you even though everything seems to go dead wrong, if you are square with yourself. Reversely, all is not well with you although everything outwardly may seem to go right, if you are not square with yourself.”

-

”It is no nonviolence if we merely love those that love us. It is nonviolence only when we love those that hate us. I know how difficult it is to follow this grand law of love. But are not all great and good things difficult to do? Love of the hater is the most difficult of all.”

[Tristan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gandhi is known for his essays on non-violence and as a revered peace maker. However, it was his writings on faith that really stood out to me and are less widely appreciated. Gandhi engaged with all religious doctrines: he was well versed in dharma, the Gita, the Koran, and the Bible. His appreciation for multiple texts should be inspiring to all, especially those who prescribe to one religion. Once people are able to step back from their subjective worldviews and personal experiences to excitedly understand others, their faith is only strengthened. Resolve is fortified by a willingness to seek truths outside your immediate periphery, not weakened.

“Faith is a function of the heart. It must be enforced by reason. The two are not antagonistic as some think. The more intense one’s faith is, the more it whets one’s reason. When faith becomes blind it dies.”

[James Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book of Gandhi's thoughts, or should I say, his heart. He wrote candidly and authentically about his stance on nonviolence, peace, faith, love, and many other elements of life. It is a book that should be read with an open mind and open heart because it has the power to work on our spiritual voice or inner being. It is another must read.

Dr. James Arthur Williams
Author of From Thug to Scholar

[Yan Sham-Shackleton · Rating 2 out of 5]

If this book is to be believed Gandhi was not a great orator. However he did lead a country to independence? I expected quotes about democracy, protest, freedom, instead I got a disjointed number of insipid quotes about "Daily Life" and "Peace." This book has stripped Gandhi's words that galvanized millions to seem like a self-help manual. I don't know what David Attenborough was thinking but this is no way to learn about Gandhi, which was what I was hoping.

[Hariom Shukla]

Good

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different quotes of Gandhi, in section by topics.

[Gayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great quotes from a great man. He was so all about peace. I really loved his quotes.

[Amy McCammon]

Elder

[Stefi Brosio · Rating 1 out of 5]

No pude dejar de pensar durante todo el libro que las cosas que decia acerca de la paz y la no violencia, solo eran palabras para él, no actuaba acorde a lo que expresaba.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book up because it was short and I was looking for some wisdom. I was expecting quotes (I know several great quotes by Gandhi), but this was more a collection of his teachings. It was a little dense for me. I would have to have a better understanding of his philosophy to enjoy these selections.

[Mil · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Gandhi's] words struck me so forcibly that there and then I committed myself to attempt to make a film about Mahatma Gandhi - a commitment that changed the subsequent twenty years of my life. --Richard Attenborough

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not apocalyptic, but an interesting read in that context. Gandhi's words on the atom bomb from a non-violent perspective are, 'interesting'.

[Hadji VanderVeer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amazing patience and tolerance from one individual who changed millions of people's views

[Mae · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a book of statements and quotes made by Gandi covering topics like peace, forgiveness, democracy and more.

[Mallee Stanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quotes from Gandhi that many are still just as relevant today as they were when originally spoken.

[Yuvarajaa]

very good book