.: Lessons from Dr Daisaku Ikeda : reflections by Dr ...

.: Lessons from Dr Daisaku Ikeda : reflections by Dr ...: Lessons from Ikeda (Reproduced below are the reflections  Dr Radhakrishnan offered to a group of  youth at Johannesburg , South Africa w...

.: What does Gandhi mean to every human being?

.: What does Gandhi mean to every human being?: What does Gandhi mean to every human being? (AIR talk, 30 Jan.   by Prof.N.Radhakrishnan) January 30 th every year after the martyr...

.: What does Gandhi mean to every human being?

.: What does Gandhi mean to every human being?: What does Gandhi mean to every human being? (AIR talk, 30 Jan.   by Prof.N.Radhakrishnan) January 30 th every year after the martyr...

What does Gandhi mean to every human being?

What does Gandhi mean to every human being?

(AIR talk, 30 Jan.  by Prof.N.Radhakrishnan)

January 30^th every year after the martyrdom of the Mahatma this day in 1948 , is a day of re-dedication  in India to the ideals the Father of the Nation cherished most.

Chief among the many aspects dear to the Mahatma are unity of all religious faiths, fight against leprosy and efforts to spread the brilliance of cleanliness  as  national objectives.

 It is gratifying to note this day is also being observed with great application as anti-leprosy day. The great stride we as a nation has achieved in our fight against leprosy is a great tribute to the Mahatma who was one of the pioneers in devising  scientific and humanitarian methods to treat leprosy affected persons with care and love.

The importance being given to the Gandhian passion for  a clean India by making it a priority area is also to be lauded. This clearly indicates that India is on the move and will soon emerge a clean country in all respects. Cleanliness should become an attribute of both body and mind. The Swatch Bharat Abhiyan is a very commendable initiative of the Government of India.

One of the least highlighted and perhaps neglected aspects of MAHATMA GANDHI’S striving for confidence and community building is the supreme importance Gandhi accorded to Dialogue, Reconciliation and Forgiveness as evidenced in what is known in history, “THE MIRACLE OF CALCUTTA, THE NOAKHALI PILGRIMAGE and the magic touches of Gandhi to most of the tense and violence-ravaging hearts in the wake of the Calcutta carnage and the Noakhali killings.

This year’s 30^th January has a special relevance since it is the 70^th anniversary of Gandhi’s heroic campaigns for peace and harmony in the strife-torn and killing fields of Noakhali, now part of Bangladesh.

One of the least highlighted and perhaps neglected aspects of MAHATMA GANDHI’S striving for confidence and community building is the supreme importance Gandhi accorded to Dialogue, Reconciliation and Forgiveness as evidenced in what is known in history, “THE MIRACLE OF CALCUTTA, THE NOAKHALI PILGRIMAGE and the magic touches of Gandhi to most of the tense and violence-ravaging hearts in the wake of the Calcutta carnage and the Noakhali killings.

From a historical perspective, ‘Noakhali’ brings to one’s mind the twin images in modern peace parlance: senseless killings, man’s brutality to fellow human beings and communal hatred.

While on the positive and spiritual side it represents thanks to Gandhi, the highest point of man’s ability to resurrect, recreate, dialogue, forgive, reconciliation and promote human brotherhood and peace.

From Gandhi’s strivings during the most tumultuous period in Indian history particularly in Noakhali, Calcutta and Bihar the world also witnessed with disbelief  and consternation his  heroic  and matchless  plunge in to the  scene of world’s  worst internecine  killings  and bloodbath with stern resolve even  to die in order to persuade people to  search collectively  and individually ways and means to forge unity.

Promotion of Dialogue, Forgiveness and Reconciliation and unity among the  different segments of people were the highlights of the  last phase of Gandhi’s heroic efforts in the strife-torn areas of Bengal when he risked his life in the warring and killing areas of Calcutta and later in one of the most horrible scenes of brutal killings in the district of Noakhali.

Gandhi  indeed surprised everybody when he plunged headlong in the conflict-ridden areas of the Indian subcontinent highlighting the importance of Dialogue,Reconciliation and Forgiveness in community building and promoting sustainable peace.

Gandhi’s concept of a  Shanti Sainik ( Peace Soldier)who would risk his life for the sake of others by conquering fearlessness through selfless action,love and compassion was put to test during his Calcutta and Noakhali experiments.

Besides the  uncommon courage to court death so that others might live in peace, these strivings of Gandhi  brought to fore powerfully and very evocatively the Gandhian vision of the ideal of Shantisena and every individual readying himself into a Shantisainik demonstrating  his/her readiness to die for peace and harmony.

How Gandhi brought peace in Calcutta and in the troubled regions of Noakhali offer great lesson to all those who are committed to exploring new methods and strategies in peace building, peace-making, and peace-keeping.

Humanity too learned many lessons from Gandhi’s strivings in Noakhali. Dialoguing for peace and forgiveness acquired a new form and shape with Gandhi.

Dr. Nelson Mandela demonstrated the glory and power of their efforts towards cementing societies rather than dividing.

Conflict Management experts, researchers, diplomats, heads of governments (as Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy to India confessed before the British quit India) too have lessons to learn from Gandhi.

Gandhi as part of his efforts to offer a healing touch to those victims in the conflict ravaged areas toured Noakhali, moving from village to village and preaching the gospel of peace. At first he thought of making the journey completely alone, depending for food and shelter on the villagers he encountered, but the scheme was obviously impractical.

Clasping a long bamboo staff in his right hand, he set out every morning with a small band of companions for the next village.

He walked with his long bamboo staff in one hand, the other restingon Manubehn’s shoulder. In this way, every morning at seven thirty, he set out on his pilgrimage, singing the haunting song written by Rabindranath Tagore:

                                                  walk alone

                          If they answer  not  your call, walk alone;

                         If they are afraid and cower mutely facing the wall,

                         O thou of evil luck,

                         Open thy mind and speak out alone

The song reflected the mood of the pilgrim, as he walked  from village to village. The journey was an arduous one, and sometimes his feet bled.

Now, when he travelled from village to village, he would sometimes find human excrement left on the narrow pathways. Seeing it, he would pluck a leaf and bend down and scoop it up. He knew why it had been placed there. Once a person spat in his face. For a few moments he stood gazing at the man in shock and horror, remembering that from his earliest childhood he had been a friend to all, and then he slowly brushed the spit away and went on as though nothing had happened. There were moments of pure terror, when it seemed that death hung in the air haunting the forests and the villages.

He half-expected to be assassinated, and said he would welcome such a death. “But I should love, above all, to fade out doing my duty with my last breath”, he wrote to a friend during the last stages of the pilgrimage. At night he suffered from shivering fits, and during the day there was a drumming in his ears. Exhaustion had brought on high blood pressure.

Just as the Muslims in Noakhali had massacred the Hindus, so a little later the Hindus in Bihar massacred Muslims. By the end of February Gandhi was under strong pressure to visit Bihar. The Biharis, who live in the shadow of the Himalayas, are a notably mild and gentle people, and the sudden upsurge of violence seemed inexplicable. Gandhi went to Patna, the provincial capital. Once more he journeyed from village to village, trying to discover the causes of the massacre. In his journey he was sometimes accompanied by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, “the frontier Gandhi”. A giant of a man, with the features of a warrior-saint, in love with non-violence, he added his immense prestige to the pilgrimage of mercy. “I am in utter darkness”, he said. “All Indians being destroyed”. He was a Muslim fiercely devoted to his religion, but he could see no reason why Hindus and Muslims should kill one another.

   




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One of the greatest miscalculations all assassins all over the world made was that each of them thought that their victim had been  finished  with the act of killing once and for all. The paradox was that the dead Gandhi emerged stronger and remains a bright star and prophet of harmony and change. Gandhi’s voice “  I will continue to speak from my grave”. And that verily echoes Gandhi’s passionate prayer for harmony and peace: “ "Easwar,Allah,Tere naam sabko sanmathi de bhagvan" 

Lessons from Dr Daisaku Ikeda : reflections by Dr Radhakrishnan

Lessons from Ikeda

(Reproduced below are the reflections  Dr Radhakrishnan offered to a group of  youth at Johannesburg , South Africa who quizzed him on “ Lessons from Ikeda” )

Question: Professor Radhakrishnan, you have  researched and written extensively on Dr Daisaku Ikeda. We understand you and Dr Ikeda have acquaintance over three decades. Your Dialogue with Dr Ikeda entitled in English “ WALKING WITH THE MAHATMA: GANDHI IN MODERN TIMES”available now in five world languages is rated well by reading public. Which aspects of Dr Ikeda’s leadership have attracted you most ?

Answer by Prof.N.Radhakrishnan

 1. Importance of  Youthful Diary:

Gandhi speaks about a book in his autobiography that cast  a “Magic Spell” on him. He read Ruskin’s  book Unto This Last during a journey from Johannesburg to Durban. Gandhi says this book changed his life.

A book that acted more or less in the same manner in my life  is the Youthful Diary by Dr Ikeda. I found this book as a great treasure and I read this book frequently and seek answers for leadership.

I find it  also as a great handbook on the complex process of growing up and leadership which every young person and upcoming leaders should read for guidance and inspiration.

2.Trusting the Youth and encouraging them to emerge as  potential leaders.

As a trainer of youth I have been searching new and acceptable strategies and methods to involve youth in nonviolent methods of conflict management and training of nonviolent leaders. Dr Ikeda’s leadership to attract youth and make them frontline participants in his admirable efforts for value creation attracted me. I learned from him heavily and from  the Soka Gakkai friends innumerable lessons of youth mobilization for peaceful transition.

3.Soka Education system as a model for the 21st Century

The Soka Educational experiments and practices which began with President Makiguchi and formatted by his disciple President Toda became an instrument of human transformation and Human Revolution in the hands of Dr Ikeda .Like Tagore and Gandhi, Dr Ikeda views education as a liberating force that shapes and sustains life.

4. New thrust for Peace activism and humanism       

The  worldwide networking Dr Ikeda and Soka Gakkai developed in making peace- making, peace-keeping and peace-building as an agenda of every human being makes him one of the greatest pacifists, peace activists and campaigners of a warless world today.

5. The one-world vision of Gandhi, King and Ikeda

Three great modern leaders who have amazing similarity in their vision and strivings for world peace are Gandhi, King and Ikeda.Their mission, if translated properly, will be a workable model to rid this world of war and misery as President Makiguch and President Toda (Ikeda’s mentors) had envisioned.

6 . Mentor and disciple and  living the spirit of mentor and disciple

A unique contribution Dr Ikeda has offered to humanity is the manner in which he has been nurturing the great bond and power of the Mentor-disciple spirit. The mentor-disciple spirit fosters not only the inherent power of every individual to discover his potential but also strengthens the cosmic interconnectivity of all creations.

7. Common to both – Gandhi and Ikeda : “ be the Change you want you see in others”

Gandhi and Ikeda continue to be two leaders of humanity who stress the importance of change both in individual life and in society.

8. The Satyagraha of Gandhi and The Human Revolution of Ikeda reveal immeasurable power of each individual as instrument and agent of change.

9. Optimism : common to both Gandhi and Ikeda  

Both these leaders stress the importance of Optimism and Hope. Ikeda’s famous advice in this regard that inspires me are: (i) Let us create hope (ii)Let us believe in the limitless potential inherent within our life(iii)The light of hope permeates all adversities and illuminates the darkness of suffering(iv) The source of that light lies within each individual’s heart.