To forgive is not to forget. The merit lies in loving in spite of the vivid knowledge that one that must be loved is not a friend. There is not merit in loving an enemy when you forget him for a friend.
Mahatma GandhiRead
I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Violence may bring short-term benefits, but its negative consequences are lasting.
Mahatma Gandhi's quote emphasizes the inherent dangers of violence, suggesting that any perceived good resulting from violent actions is fleeting and overshadowed by the long-lasting harm that violence inflicts. It urges a reconsideration of how we approach conflict and highlights the need for non-violent solutions that contribute to enduring positive change.
Themes
ViolencePeaceGoodEvilConsequencesPermanence
In practice
Example use cases
A speaker at a peace rally might quote Gandhi to emphasize the importance of non-violent protest.
More from Mahatma Gandhi
All quotes βLove never claims, it ever gives. Love ever suffers, never resents never revenges itself.
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Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
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The real test of nonviolence lies in its being brought in contact with those who have contempt for it.
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Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
Mahatma GandhiRead
The devotion of such titans of spirit as Lenin to an Ideal must bear fruit. The nobility of his selflessness will be an example through centuries to come, and his Ideal will reach perfection.
Mahatma GandhiRead
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All power is inherent in the people.
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And then sometimes I think the people to feel saddest for are people who once knew what profoundness was, but who lost or became numb to the sensation of wonder β people who closed the doors that leads us into the secret world β or who had the doors closed for them by time and neglect and decisions made in times of weakness.
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