Seeing Truth in Fragments 68. Does not but God Himself appears to different individuals in different aspects? Still we know that He is one. But Truth is the right designation of God. Hence there is nothing wrong in everyone following Truth According to his lights. Indeed it is his duty to do so. Then if there is a mistake on the part of anyone so following Truth, it will be automatically set right. For the quest of Truth involves tapas—self-suffering, sometimes even unto death. There can be no place in it for even a trace of self-interest. In such selfless search for Truth nobody can lose his bearings for long. Directly he takes to the wrong path he stumbles, and is thus redirected to the right path. –YM, 4.
69. The golden rule of conduct, therefore, is mutual toleration, seeing that we will never all think alike and we shall see Truth in fragment and from different angles of vision. Conscience is not the same thing for all. Whilst, therefore, it is a good guide for individual conduct, imposition of that conduct upon all will be an insufferable interference with everybody’s freedom of conscience.* -YI, 23-9-26, 334.
70. Q. With regard to your Satyagraha doctrine, so far as I understand it, it involves the pursuit of Truth and in that *Rebutting the charge that he was undemocratic, Gandhiji once wrote: ‘I have never been able to subscribe to the charge of obstinacy or autocracy. On the contrary, I pride myself on my yielding nature in non-vital matters. I detest autocracy. Valuing my freedom and independence I equally cherish them for others. I have no desire to carry a single soul with me if I cannot appeal to his or her reason. My unconventionality I carry to the point of rejecting the divinity of the oldest Shastras if they cannot convince my reason. But I have found by experience that, if I wish to live in society and still retain my independence, I must limit the points of utter independence to matters of first rate importance. In all others which do not involve a departure from one’s personal religion or moral code, one must yield to the majority.—YI, 14-7-20 (from Ganesan’s edition Vol. I, p. 207).
Pursuit you invite suffering on yourself and do not cause violence to anybody else. A. Yes, sir. Q. However honestly a man may strive in his search for Truth, his notions of Truth may be different from the notions of others. Who then is to determine the Truth? A. The individual himself would determine that Q. Different individuals would have different views a to Truth. World that not lead to confusion? A. I do not think so. Q. Honestly striving after Truth is different in every case? A. That is why the nonviolence part was a necessary corollary. Without that there would be confusion and worse. – Tagore,29 71.Courtesy towards opponents and eagerness to understand their view-point is the ABC of nonviolence. –HS, 20-7-44
72. The very insistence on. Truth has taught me to appreciate the beauty of compromise. It has often meant endangering my life and incurring the displeasure of friends. But Truth is hard as adamant and tender as a blossom. –Auto, i84. | 
