Sabarmati Ashram Constitution (final approved version, 1915)

I. Truth

Truth is not fulfilled by mere abstinence from telling or
practising an untruth in ordinary relations with fellow-men.
But Truth is God, the one and only Reality. All other
observances take their rise from the quest for, and the
worship of, Truth. Worshippers of Truth must not resort to
untruth, even for what they may believe to be the good of
the country, and they may be required, like PrahladPrahlad is a figure in classical Hindu mythology who is an example of steadfast devotion to the god Vishnu and dedication to the truth, in spite of suffering persecution at the hands of his own father, the demon-king Hiranyakashipu., civilly
to disobey the orders even of parents and elders in virtue of
their paramount loyalty to Truth.

II. Non-violence or Love

Mere non-killing is not enough. The active part of
Non-violence is Love. The law of Love requires equal
consideration for all life from the tiniest insect to the highest
man. One who follows this law must not be angry even with
the perpetrator of the greatest imaginable wrong, but must
love him, wish him well and serve him. Although he must
thus love the wrong-doer, he must never submit to his wrong
or his injustice, but must oppose it with all his might, and
must patiently and without resentment suffer all the
hardships to which the wrong-doer may subject him in
punishment for his opposition.

III. Chastity (Brahmacharya)

Observance of the foregoing principles is impossible
without the observance of celibacy. It is not enough that one
should not look upon any woman or man with a lustful eye;
animal passion must be so controlled as to be excluded even
from the mind. If married, one must not have a carnal mind
regarding one’s wife or husband, but must consider her or
him as one’s lifelong friend, and establish relationship of
perfect purity. A sinful touch, gesture or word is a direct
breach of this principle.

IV. Control of the Palate

The observance of brahmacharyacelibacy has been found, from
experience, to be extremely difficult so long as one has not
acquired mastery over taste. Control of the palate has
therefore been placed as a principle by itself. Eating
necessary only for sustaining the body and keeping it a fit
instrument for service, and must never be practised for self-
indulgence. Foot must therefore be taken, like medicine,
under proper restraint. In pursuance of this principle one
must eschew exciting goods, such as spices and condiments.
Meat, liquor, tobacco, bhang etc. are excluded from the
Ashram. This principle requires abstinence from feasts or
dinners which have pleasure as their object.

V. Non-stealing

It is not enough not to take another’s property without his
permission. One becomes guilty of theft even by using
differently anything which one has received in trust for use
in a particular way, as well as by using a thing longer than
the period for which it has been lent. It is also theft if one
receives anything which he does not really need. The fine
truth at the bottom of this principle is that Nature provides
just enough and no more, for our daily need.

VI. Non-possession or Poverty

This principle is really a part of No. V. Just as one must
not receive, so must one not possess anything which one
does not really need. It would be a breach of this principle
to possess unnecessary foodstuffs, clothing, or furniture.
For instance one must not keep a chair if one can do without
it. In observing this principle one is led to a progressive
simplification of one's own life.

VII. Physical Labour

Physical labour is essential for the observance of Non-
stealing and Non-possession. Man can be saved from
injuring society, as well as himself, only if he sustains his
physical existence by physical labour. Able-bodied adults
must do all their personal work themselves, and must not be
served by others, except for proper reasons. But they must
at the same time remember, that service of children, as well
as of the disabled, the old and the sick, is a duty incumbent
on every person who has the required strength.

VIII. Swadeshi“Swadeshi” refers to economic self-sufficiency or independence. Gandhi often linked this term to a constructive program of labor in village and cottage industries.

Man is not omnipotent. He therefore serves the world best
by first serving his neighbour. This is Swadeshi, a principle
which is broken when one professes to serve those who are
more remote in preference to those who are near.
Observance of Swadeshi makes for order in the world ; the
breach of it leads to chaos. Following this principle, one
must as far as possible purchase one’s requirements locally
and not buy things imported from foreign lands, which can
easily be manufactured in the country. There is no place for
self-interest in Swadeshi, which enjoins the sacrifice of
oneself for the family, of the family for the village, of the
village for the country, and of the country for humanity.

IX. Fearlessness

One cannot follow Truth or Love so long as one is
subject to fear. As there is at present a reign* A reference to British rule in India. V. G. D. of fear in the
country, meditation on and cultivation of fearlessness have
a particular importance. Hence its separate mention as an
observance. A seeker after Truth must give up the fear of
parents, caste, government, robbers etc., and he must not be
frightened by poverty or death.

X. Removal of Untouchability

Untouchability, which has taken such deep root in
Hinduism, is altogether irreligious. Its removal has therefore
been treated as an independent principle. The so-called
untouchables"Untouchables" refers to Dalits, those at the bottom of the caste-based social hierarchy have an equal place in the Ashram with other
classes. The Ashram does not believe in caste which, it
considers, has injured Hinduism, because its implications of
superior and inferior status, and of pollution by contact are
contrary to the law of Love. The Ashram however believes
in varnashrama dharma"Varnashrama dharma" means to fulfill one's duty ("dharma") according to one's caste ("varna") and stage of life ("ashrama"). The division of varnascastes is based
upon occupation, and therefore, a person should maintain
himself by following the hereditary occupation, not
inconsistent with fundamental morals, and should devote all
his spare time and energy to the acquisition and
advancement of true knowledge. The ashramas (the four
stages)"Ashramas" is a reference to the four stages of life discussed in classical Hindu and South Asian scripture in the context of the pursuit of spiritual liberation: student, householder, forest hermit, renouncer. spoken of in the smritis"Smritis" = classical Hindu religious texts are conducive to the welfare
of mankind. Though, therefore, the Ashram believes in
varnashrama dharma, there is no place in it for distinction
of varnas as the Ashram life is conceived in the light of the
comprehensive and non-formal sannyasa"Sannyasa" = renunciation of the Bhagavad¬
gita"Bhagavad-Gita" = a Hindu religious text.

XI. Tolerance

The Ashram believes that the principal faiths of the world
constitute a revelation of Truth, but as they have all been
outlined by imperfect man, they have been affected by
imperfections and alloyed with untruth. One must therefore
entertain the same respect for the religious faiths of others
as one accords to one's own. Where such tolerance becomes
a law of life, conflict between different faiths becomes
impossible, and so does all effort to convert other people to
one's own faith. One can only pray that the defects in the
various faiths may be overcome, and that they may advance,
side by side, towards perfection.

1. Worship

The social (as distinguished from the individual) activities
of the Ashram commence every day with the congregational
morning worship at 4:15 to 4:45 and close with the evening
prayer at 7 to 7:30. All inmates are expected to attend the
worship. This worship has been conceived as an aid to self–
purification and dedication of one's all to God.

2. Sanitary Service

This is an essential and sacred service and yet it is looked
down upon in society, with the result that it is generally
neglected and affords considerable scope for improvement.
The Ashram, therefore, lays special stress upon engaging no
outside labour for this work. The members themselves
attend in turns to the whole of the sanitation. New entrants
are generally first of all attached to this department.
Trenches are sunk to the depth of nine inches, and the
nightsoil is buried in them and covered with the excavated
earth. It thus becomes converted into valuable manure. Calls
of nature are attended to only at places assigned for the
purpose. Care is taken that the roads and paths should not
be spoilt by spitting or otherwise.

3. Sacrificial Spinning

Today India's most urgent problem is the growing
starvation of her millions, which is chiefly due to the
deliberate destruction, by alien rule, of her principal
auxiliary industry of hand-spinning. With a view to its
rehabilitation in national life, spinning has been made the
central activity of the Ashram, and is compulsory for all
members as a national sacrifice. The following are the
various branches of work in this department:

• I. Cotton cultivation
• II. Workshop for making and repairing spinning
  wheels, spindles, carding bows et cetera;
• 
  III. Ginning;
• 
  IV. Carding;
• 
  V. Spinning;
• 
  VI. Weaving cloth, carpets, tape, rope, et cetera;
• 
  VII. Dyeing and printing.

4. Agriculture

Cotton for the khadi"Khadi" = handspun cotton work and fodder crops for the cattle
are the chief activities of this department. Vegetables and
fruit are also grown in order to make the Ashram as far as
possible self-contained.

5. Dairy

An attempt is being made to convert into a model dairy
the Ashram dairy which supplies milk to the inmates. Since
last year this dairy is being carried on in consonance with
the principles of and with the pecuniary help of the All-India
Cow Protection Association, but as an integral part of the
Ashram itself. There are at present 27 cows, 47 calves and
young stock, 10 bullocks and 4 bulls. The average daily
output of milk is 200 pounds.

6. Tannery

At the instance and with the help of the All-India Cow
Protection Association, a tannery has been established for
the tanning of dead-cattle hide. There is attached to it a
sandal and shoemaking department. The dairy and tannery
have been established because the Ashram believes, in spite
of the claim Hindus make to the protection of the cow, that
Indian cattle will further and further deteriorate and
ultimately die out, carrying man along with them, unless
vigorous attention is paid to cattle-breeding, cattle-feeding
and the utilization in the country of dead-cattle hides.

7. National Education

An attempt is made in the Ashram to impart such
education as is conducive to national welfare. In order that
spiritual, intellectual and physical development may proceed
side by side, an atmosphere of industry has been created,
and letters are not given more than their due importance.
Character building is attended to in the smallest detail.
'Untouchable' children are freely admitted. Women are
given special attention with a view to improving their status,
and they are accorded the same opportunities for self-culture
as the men. The Ashram accepts the following principles of
the Gujarat VidyapithGujarat Vidyapith is a university in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India that was founded by Gandhi and associates in 1920.:

• 
  1. The principal object of the Vidyapith shall be to
  prepare workers of character, ability, education and
  conscientiousness, necessary for the conduct of the
  movements connected with the attainment of Swaraj"Swaraj" = Literally "self-rule"; here it refers to political self-rule or independence from colonial rule..
• 
  2. All the institutions conducted by and affiliated to the
  Vidyapith shall be fully non-co-operating and shall therefore
  have nothing to do with any help from Government.* Refers to the British Government. V. G. D.
• 
  3. Whereas the Vidyapith has come into being in
  connection with the Swaraj movement, and non-violent non–
  co-operation as a means thereof, its teachers and trustees
  shall restrict themselves to those means only which are not
  inconsistent with truth and non-violence and shall
  consciously strive to carry them out.
• 
  4. The teachers and the trustees of the Vidyapith, as also
  all the institutions affiliated to it, shall regard untouchability
  as a blot on Hinduism, shall strive to the best of their power
  for its removal, and shall not exclude a boy or girl for
  reason of his or her untouchability nor shall give him or her
  differential treatment having once accorded admission to
  him or her.
• 
  5. The teachers and the trustees of, and all the institutions
  affiliated to, the Vidyapith shall regard handspinning as an
  essential part of the Swaraj movement and shall therefore
  spin regularly, except when disabled, and shall habitually
  wear Khadi.
• 
  6. The language of the province shall have the principal
  place in the Vidyapith and shall be the medium of
  instruction.
  
  Explanation: Languages other than Gujarati may be
  taught by direct method.
• 
  7. The teaching of Hindi-Hindustani shall be compulsory
  in the curricula of the Vidyapith.
• 
  8. Manual training shall receive the same importance as
  intellectual training and only such occupations as are useful
  for the life of the nation shall be taught.
• 
  9. Whereas the growth of the nation depends not on its
  cities but its villages, the bulk of the funds of the Vidyapith
  and a majority of the teachers of the Vidyapith shall be
  employed in the propagation of education conducive to the
  welfare of the villages.
• 
  10. In laying down the curricula, the needs of village
  dwellers shall have principal consideration.
• 
  11. There shall be complete toleration of all established
  religions in all institutions conducted by and affiliated to the
  Vidyapith; and for the spiritual development of the pupils,
  religious instruction shall be imparted in consonance with
  truth and non-violence.
• 
  12. For the physical development of the nation physical
  exercise and physical training shall be compulsory in all the
  institutions conducted by and affiliated to the Vidyapith.
• 
  Note: Hindi-Hindustani means the language commonly
  spoken by the masses of the North — both Hindu and
  Musalman"Musalman" = Muslim — and written in the Devanagari or the Arabic
  script.

8. Khadi Technical School

A separate technical school is conducted, which prepares
candidates for the Khadi Service on behalf of the All-India
Spinners' Association. ... The curriculum is as follows: