Gandhi:
Hindu and Activist
In class,
your small groups went over movie questions about the content in Gandhi. You
should know who each of the main characters are and the events that defined
Gandhi’s religion and activism.
{Paragraph 1 & 2): Choose two of
Gandhi’s quotes below. Describe how Gandhi’s actions in the movie support this
statement. Summarize the movie scene and supplement your answer with
information from the book, the NY Times article, or discussion from class.
YOGA
{Paragraph 3}: Reflect on your
experience of yoga. How did you feel while doing it? Could you understand the
purpose of these rituals within the Hindu religion? Why?
Quotes of Mohandas Gandhi: Red quotes are from the
movie.
“A man is
but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks; he becomes.”
“A nation’s
culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people.”
“A religion
that takes no account of practical affairs and does not help to solve them is
no religion.”
“A true disciple knows another’s woes, as his
own. He bows to all and despises none.”
“Action
expresses priorities.”
“An
eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”
“When I despair, I remember that all through
history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and
murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall
-- think of it, ALWAYS.”
“’Love they neighbor
as thyself’ is not something we Hindus prescribe to, but it is something we
could learn from.”
“A man who was completely innocent, offered
himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and
became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act.” (About whom is Gandhi referencing?)
I
am a Muslim, and a Hindu, and a Christian and a Jew; and so are you.
“A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks; he becomes.” I believe that this is most effectively shown in the movie when Gandhi moves to the Ashram so that he can not only represent the people in the countryside, but also live like them and think like them.
ReplyDelete“An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.” Means that if you take revenge, you end up getting nowhere, and I believe that this was most effectively displayed when Gandhi refused to allow violence, and when, during the Salt March, Nehru was attacked but he refused to fight back.
Today, our yoga experience for me personally was only best received, at the end, because at that point, I felt most "in tune" with my body. I believe that yoga is important to the Hindus because it forces them to control their body so that they can be tolerant and kind, and reach Nirvana.
"A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks; he becomes." The quote personally was a stop and think moment for me. As I read this quote several times, I see what Gandhi was stressing over the people of India. He repeatedly tells and shows that if people are constantly thinking of violence, and ways to destroy, their thoughts will soon turn into their actions. What Gandhi was stressing was no violence thoughts results to peace and non-violent acts. This was shown during the movie when Gandhi moved to Ashram to live like the people really signified this quote.
ReplyDelete"Action expresses priorities." This quote was how Gandhi used to gain more followers. As he used methods like fasting, he made people feel pressure for the horrid actions (violence) they did. However, things such as the numerous deaths of Indians from the British general, also describes this quote "Action expresses priorities."
Our yoga lesson was one of the best experiences I had. I could still remember the loud, yet hilarious snores coming from Daniel Kwon. The most favorable moment was at the end of our lesson when we laid down on the floor with absolute peace. I felt like I was flying, but at the same time lying on the floor. I also felt I had a real connection between the Hindu people because of so much peace they felt. Lastly, this was one enjoyable experience and I hope we continue to do yoga again.
"I am a muslim, a hindu, a christian, and a jew; so are you." Gandhi displays this through his actions by treating everyone equally. He means to say that religion presents no boundaries to him and that everyone is the same in his eyes. Even though he was fighting for the rights of the indians, he still treated the british with respect.
ReplyDelete"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" This quote is saying that getting revenge will only bring about complete obliteration. Gandhi took on this philosophy and used nonviolence to fight against the british. One scene where this is shown clearly is when he leads many people to the salt works. Even thought they get beaten up, they do not fight back and keep going.
The yoga was a good experience. It made me feel very relaxed and at peace with myself. The control of movements and trying to go past the limits of the body helped me become calm. I think I understand the purpose of hindus doing it. By doing yoga, they are removing all worldly concerns form one's mind. Also, by trying to break the limits of the human body, they are getting closer to nirvana.