Morality and Ethics Quotes - Quotes, The Story Of My Experiments With Truth | The Story of My Experiments with Truth - Summary & Themes - Novels PDF Download

But [my experiments] are spiritual, or rather moral; for the essence of religion is morality. (Introduction.4)

God is truth, and religion is morality. Okay. We think we understand.

Mr. Giles, the Educational Inspector, had come on a visit of inspection. He had set us five words to write as a spelling exercise. One of the words was "kettle." I had mis-spelt it. The teacher tried to prompt me with the point of his boot, but I would not be prompted. It was beyond me to see that he wanted me to copy the spelling from my neighbour's slate, for I had thought that the teacher was there to supervise us against copying. The result was that all the boys, except myself, were found to have spelt every word correctly. Only I had been stupid. The teacher tried later to bring this stupidity home to me, but without effect. I never could learn the art of "copying." (1.2.2)

It's beyond Gandhi to recognize that his teacher wants him to cheat at spelling to please the official.

I knew I was lying, and lying to my mother. I also knew that, if my mother and father came to know of my having become a meat-eater, they would be deeply shocked. This knowledge was gnawing at my heart. (1.7.5)

Gandhi first gives up meat eating because he doesn't like lying, not out of compassion for animals. Pretty fitting for a guy who later perceives God to be truth.

I can recall four more similar incidents in my life, and in most of them my good fortune, rather than any effort on my part, saved me. From a strictly ethical point of view, all these occasions must be regarded as moral lapses; for the carnal desire was there, and it was as good as the act. But from the ordinary point of view, a man who is saved from physically committing sin is regarded as saved. And I was saved only in that sense. (1.7.9)

In other words, Gandhi says, you're not off the ethical hook if some random coincidence prevents you from fulfilling your dishonest intentions. High standards.

But one thing took deep root in me—the conviction that morality is the basis of things, and that truth is the substance of all morality. Truth became my sole objective. It began to grow in magnitude every day, and my definition of it also has been ever widening. (1.10.13)

Religion is morality, and morality is truth, and truth is God. Is this just Gandhi's way of saying these are all important ideals we should value, or do these equations mean more?

"I admit it is necessary to eat meat. But I cannot break my vow. I cannot argue about it. I am sure I cannot meet you in argument. But please give me up as foolish or obstinate. I appreciate your love for me and I know you to be my well-wisher. I also know that you are telling me again and again about this because you feel for me. But I am helpless. A vow is a vow. It cannot be broken." (1.14.5)

We're pretty sure Gandhi would win at dieting against anyone.

I read Salt's book from cover to cover and was very much impressed by it. From the date of reading this book, I may claim to have become a vegetarian by choice. I blessed the day on which I had taken the vow before my mother. [...] The choice was now made in favor of vegetarianism, the spread of which henceforward became my mission. (1.14.9)

They needed no religious rites to seal the bond. Mrs. Polak was a Christian by birth and Polak a Jew. Their common religion was the religion of ethics. (4.22.7)

Ethics is something believers of different faiths and even nonbelievers can bond over.

"In fact we doctors consider it a virtue to deceive patients or their relatives, if thereby we can save our patients," said the doctor with determination.

I was deeply pained, but kept cool. The doctor was a good man and a personal friend. He and his wife had laid me under a debt of gratitude, but I was not prepared to put up with his medical morals. (4.28.5-6)

Gandhi always wants the truth, even at the price of his life.

I have tried the experiment of a saltless and pulseless diet on many of my co-workers, and with good results in South Africa. Medically there may be two opinions as to the value of this diet, but morally I have no doubt that all self-denial is good for the soul. (4.29.11)

Self-denial, aka self-restraint, is key to Gandhi's vision of morality.