Page:Speeches And Writings MKGandhi.djvu/359

 brings the whole world to our feet. The author of this discovery gives a wealth of illustration, which carries conviction with it.

THF DOCTRINE OF AHIMSA

Examine its result in the political life. There is no gift so valued by our Shastra, as the gift of life. Consider what our relations would be with out rulers if we gave absolute security of life to them. If they could but feel that no matter what we might feel about their acts, we would hold their bodies as sacred as our own, there would immediately spring up an atmosphere of mutual trust and there would be such frankness on eitheir side as to pave the way for an honourable and just solution of many problems that worry us to-day. It should be re- membered that in practising ahitnsct there need not be any reciprocation, though as a matter of fact in its final stages it commands reciprocation. Many of us believe, and I am one of them, that through our civilization we have a message to deliver to the world. I tender my would like to use the British race for transmitting this mighty message of ahimsa to the whole world. But that can only be done when we have conquered our so- called conquerors and you, my Arya Samaj friends, are perhaps specially elected for this mission. You claim to examine our scriptures critically. You take nothing for granted and you claim not to fear to reduce your belief to practice. I do not think that there is any room for trifling with or limiting the doctrine of ahimsa. You dare then to reduce it to practice regardless of immediate consequences which would certainly test the strength of your convictions. You would not only have procured salvation for India, but you would

�� �