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| COMMENTS ON AHIMSA (NONVIOLENCE) |
| Document Information |
Details |
| Title | COMMENTS ON AHIMSA (NONVIOLENCE) |
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| Article Credit | SpringerReference, Vol.: 19, Issue: 1, Year: 1987, (Pubd in: Academia.edu) |
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| Author | Mostafa Mostafavi (University of Tehran, Graduate Student) |
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| Subject | This paper explores the psychology of nonviolence by examining the metapsychological and psychospiritual writings of Mahatma Gandhi and three North American practitioners influenced by him: Martin Luther King, Jr., Cesar Chavez, and Jim Douglass. |
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| Category | Psychology |
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| Main Topics | Gandhian nonviolence, Satyagraha, Ahimsa, Tapasya, Swaraj, Martin Luther King Jr., Cesar Chavez, Jim Douglass |
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| Number of Pages | 17 |
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| Language | English |
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| File Type | PDF |
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| File Size | 90.2 KB |
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Summary Note of this Document
This article, published in the Journal of Transpersonal Psychology in 1987, offers a psychological analysis of nonviolence, drawing primarily on the thought and practice of Mahatma Gandhi. The author, Bryan Teixeira, argues that Gandhian nonviolence is not passive resistance but an active, spiritually grounded force rooted in the metaphysical concept of advaita (non-dualism). He examines four key Gandhian concepts: satyagraha (truth-force), ahimsa (nonviolence as positive love), tapasya (self-suffering), and swaraj (self-rule). The paper then compares Gandhi's approach with that of three North American practitioners: Martin Luther King, Jr., who integrated Gandhian satyagraha with Christian agape; Cesar Chavez, who combined Gandhian nonviolence with popular Chicano Catholicism in labor organizing; and Jim Douglass, a Catholic theologian who applies Gandhian principles to nuclear disarmament. Teixeira synthesizes these perspectives to outline a Gandhian psychology of nonviolence, emphasizing personal transformation, openness to the opponent, and the building of nonviolent communities. He also addresses critiques, such as the role of coercion and the feminist challenge to the movement's patriarchal structures. The article concludes that satyagraha involves both personal and organizational transformation, essential for effective nonviolent action.
Core Themes
- Psychological perspectives on nonviolence
- Gandhian philosophy and practice
- Comparison of nonviolent leaders
- Metaphysical foundations of nonviolence
- Personal and social transformation
Keywords
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