This book has attempted to study various aspects of a nonviolent, spiritual civilization of the future, as envisaged by Gandhi and by the Bahá'ís. Thus far, however, the role of the individual in this future civilization has not been discussed at length. It is conceivable that if the very structure of civilization suffers drastic change, then the nature of the constituent individuals cannot remain unaffected.
It is even possible that the very conceptions of individuality and of self will be forced to undergo a reformulation. In today's society, people think of themselves as being essentially separate from others and as having distinct identities. We often use words like ``I'' and ``mine'' to describe ourselves. This way of thinking about our selves forces a certain sense of separation and division between the individual and the social organism we constitute. However, this concept of ``I'' is only an idealistic approximation--like Euclid's definition of a point--because we are at all times ``connected'' to others and to the universe by spiritual as well as material forces. The time may very well come when the concept of an isolated, point-like ``self'' must be abandoned.[1] It could be argued that the concept of ``I'' and of self has been the cause of nuch sorrow, complacency, and ignorance. Minds infected with this concept can become obsessed with ``self-interest,'' ``self-esteem,'' ``self-image,'' and even succomb to prejudices based on ``my race,'' ``my religion,'' ``my country,'' etc.
In contrast, people who focus their minds on selfless service to humanity inevitably experience the boundless, unconditional happiness that characterizes self-transcendence. In such a condition, individuals can begin to seek fulfilment in the ``divine good pleasure'' rather than in their own. Freed thus from ``selfish'' desire, they attune their hearts instead to the true Object of Desire, the Ancient Beauty. References to variations of this theme abound in Gandhian and Bahá'í literature. Bahá'u'lláh writes:
Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own self.[2]
O My Servant! Free thyself from the fetters of this world, and loose thy soul from the prison of self . Seize thy chance, for it will come to thee no more.[3]
The death of self is needed here, not rhetoric: Be nothing, then, and walk upon the waves.[4]`Abdu'l-Bahá writes:
A Persian king was one night in his palace, living in the greatest luxury and comfort. Through excessive joy and gladness he addressed a certain man, saying: ``Of all my life this is the happiest moment. Praise be to God, from every point prosperity appears and fortune smiles! My treasury is full and the army is well taken care of. My palaces are many; my land unlimited; my family is well off; my honor and sovereignty are great. What more could I want!'' The poor man at the gate of his palace spoke out, saying: ``O kind king! Assuming that you are from every point of view so happy, free from every worry and sadness--do you not worry for us? You say that on your own account you have no worries--but do you never worry about the poor in your land? Is it becoming or meet that you should be so well off and we in such dire want and need? In view of our needs and troubles how can you rest in your palace, how can you even say that you are free from worries and sorrows? As a ruler you must not be so egoistic as to think of yourself alone but you must think of those who are your subjects. When we are comfortable then you will be comfortable; when we are in misery how can you, as a king, be in happiness?'' The purport is this that we are all inhabiting one globe of earth. In reality we are one family and each one of us is a member of this family. We must all be in the greatest happiness and comfort, under a just rule and regulation which is according to the good pleasure of God, thus causing us to be happy, for this life is fleeting.[5]
He who has reached the state of self-sacrifice has true joy. Temporal joy will vanish.[6]Gandhi writes:
Not until we have reduced ourselves to nothingness can we conquer the evil in us. God demands nothing less than complete self-surrender as the price for the only real freedom that is worth having. And when a man thus loses himself he immediately finds himself in the service of all that lives. It becomes his delight and recreation. He is a new man, never weary of spending himself in the service of God's creation.[7]