Ontological Absolute and Epistemic Pluralism: Reconstructing M.K. Gandhi’s Moral Hermeneutic of Religion

Abstract

This paper investigates the philosophical architecture of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s philosophy of religion, examining how he reconciles an absolute metaphysical commitment to Truth (Satya) with an anti-absolutist, pluralistic engagement with historically contingent faiths (Sarva Dharma Sambhava). Using a text-critical and philosophical hermeneutic approach, the study examines Gandhi’s epistemological transition from the proposition "God is Truth" to "Truth is God," demonstrating how this inversion de-dogmatizes theology into moral praxis. The paper examines the organic synthesis of prayer (prarthana) as an inward epistemic discipline, the non-negotiable primacy of ethics over traditional scriptural authority, and the dialectical tension between Gandhi's deeply rooted Vaishnava heritage and his radical socio-moral reformism. By positioning Gandhi’s theology of religions within contemporary discourses on interreligious dialogue, this inquiry demonstrates that Gandhi’s conception of religion is neither a syncretic homogenization nor a naive relativism, but a rigorous, transformative humanism grounded in epistemic humility and ethical striving.