Merton’s Gandhi
New Directions is re-issuing the collection of Mahatma Gandhi’s writings which had been selected by the Trappist monk and writer Thomas Merton. I’m the happy recipient of the galleys as well as a New Directions t-shirt with their cool, classic logo in the front (see below).
Gandhi On Non-Violence, in its new incarnation, has, in addition to the note by Merton, a preface by Mark Kurlansky in which he writes that Gandhi was “the most influential leader of the twentieth century.”
Will someone fax the following quote from Gandhi, on p. 70 of the galleys, to Washington DC:
“What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?”
Kurlansky is right, but I would add more: most of the world’s underdogs have seen (but not yet understood) the limits to the use of violence in political struggle; in this century, Gandhi might well come to be regarded as highly as Gautam Buddha or Jesus.
Comment by Abhijit Sahay — July 20, 2007 @ 12:43 pm
The last quote, that you want someone to fax to Washington D.C, is brilliant and it so beautifully and effectively sums up the non-relevance of violence for the human civilization. Gandhi was so prophetic. If everyone, whatever their complaint, just followed his path, that is indulge in Gandhigiri instead of mindless violence, the world would become absolutely peaceful.
Comment by Zafar — July 23, 2007 @ 8:58 pm