Gandhi's comments

In the application of Satyagraha, I discovered, in the earliest stages that persuit of Truth did not admit of violence being inflicted on one’s opponent but that he must be weened from error by patience and sympathy. For, what appears to be truth to the one may appear to be error to the other. And patience means self-suffering. So the doctrine came to mean vindication of Truth, not by infliction of suffering on the opponent but on oneself.
November 1919.

I feel thankful to God that, for years past, I have come to regard secrecy as a sin, more especially in politics. If we but realised the presence of God as witness to all we say and do, we would not have anything to conceal from anybody on Earth. For, we would not think on clean thoughts before our Maker, much less speak then. It is uncleaness that seeks secrecy and darkness. The tendency of human nature is to hide dirt, we do not want to see or touch dirty things, we want to put them out of sight. And so it must be with our speech. I would suggest that we should avoid even thinking thoughts we would hide from the world.
22nd December 1920.

The mental attitude is everything. Just as a prayer may be merely a mechanical intonation, as of a bird, so a fast may be a meer mechanical torture of the flesh. Such mechanical contribances are value less for the purpose intended. Again, just as a mechanical chant may result in training the voice, a mechanical fast may result in purifying the body. Neither will touch the soul within.
16th February 1922.

As soon as we lose the moral basis, we cease to be religious. There is no such thing as religion overriding morality. Man for instance, cannot be untruthful, cruel or incontinent, and claim to have God on his side.
24th November 1921.