It is a rare household that's ignorant of the name “Gandhi.” Equally rare, however, are those with knowledge of his life beyond trendy cliché. His life tells a complex story; it is, after all, a human story, riddled with virtue and vice. One of the virtues Gandhi developed over his life—one which he prized and others still esteem him for—was tolerance. He was tolerant of ignorance, political differences, and even violence committed against himself. But the tolerance of M. K. Gandhi was limited, especially regarding many forms of religion and ethics.
Many scholars of South and Southeast Asian Studies have regarded Gandhi’s religion as the source of his tolerance. He encountered many religious traditions early in his traveling life and public career, and the Hindu culture that raised him increased his understanding of religious diversity. Although he was brought up in a Hindu household with a devout mother, Gandhi kept himself unattached to any particular sect, and he claimed that his “inner voice,” something like Socrates' daimon, guided the beliefs to which he did adhere (Gandhi, 2008). This inner voice was his chosen spiritual guru for his lifelong quest toward a religion of tolerance, non-violence and reason.
