Some of the key influences on Gandhi's nonviolent methods and ideals include his childhood upbringing in a devout Hindu family, his philosophical and spiritual beliefs in the teachings of Ahimsa (nonviolence) and Satyagraha (truth force), as well as his exposure to Western ideologies such as civil disobedience and passive resistance during his time in South Africa. Additionally, Gandhi was inspired by the lives and teachings of figures such as Henry David Thoreau, Leo Tolstoy, and Jesus Christ.
