An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide: Why Did Gandhism Fail And Practically Disappear From India?

Mahatma Gandhi devoted all his life to the practice of ahimsa and truth. Jains’ value of autonomy, as well as the concept of swaraj or “self-rule,” were essential components for Gandhi’s nonviolent movement.

Gandhian scholar Pratibha Jain suggests that Gandhi’s primary legacies were his autonomous interpretation of Jain doctrines and the subsequent variations he developed. Gandhi transformed personal practices of nonviolence into collective action and he extended his reinterpretation of vows beyond the purpose of self-purification so that they became tools for political peace that hastened Indian independence.

Yet, soon after Gandhi-ji’s death, his followers (except a few like Acharya Vinoba Bhave) mostly abandoned ahimsa and as a result Gandhi and his philosophy nearly disappeared from India. In my opinion, this is due to the fact that very few of Gandhi-ji’s followers were ahimsak, did not believe much in his philosophy, were not even vegetarian, and were with Gandhi-ji only for their own self interests of achieving independence for India. Once that was accomplished, their mission—and interest in Ghandhi’s way of life —was over.

It is ironic that Gandhi-ji was known for ahimsa, yet his followers abandoned him and Gandhism became irrelevant. I am afraid that similarly, Jainism is known for Ahimsa and once this disappears, Jainism will become irrelevant, too.