--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nonviolence does not admit of running…" description: "\"Nonviolence does not admit of running away from danger... . Between violence and cowardly flight I can only prefer violence to cowardice.\" — Mahatma Ga..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f50/mahatma-gandhi-23_cowardice_nonviolence-does-not-admit-of-running-aw_2953869.jpg" --- # Nonviolence does not admit of running away from danger… ![“Nonviolence does not admit of running away from danger... . Between violence and cowardly flight I can only prefer violence to cowardice.” quote by Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f50/mahatma-gandhi-23_cowardice_nonviolence-does-not-admit-of-running-aw_2953869.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f50/mahatma-gandhi-23_cowardice_nonviolence-does-not-admit-of-running-aw_2953869.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f50/mahatma-gandhi-23_cowardice_nonviolence-does-not-admit-of-running-aw_2953869.jpg) > “Nonviolence does not admit of running away from danger... . Between violence and cowardly flight I can only prefer violence to cowardice.” [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violence is seen as preferable to cowardly retreat, suggesting moral complexity in confronting danger. **In simple terms:** Violence may be chosen over cowardice. Key Takeaway Consider moral choices in danger. Themes ethics courage conflict morality Mood tense reflective Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - political protest - personal safety - war zones Key Concepts nonviolence courage moral dilemma Questions to Reflect On - When is retreat justified? - How to balance courage and compassion? A Different Perspective Choosing violence can perpetuate harm and undermine ethical principles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cowardice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cowardice/) [Cowardly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cowardly/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Flight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flight/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Nonviolence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonviolence/) [Nonviolence Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonviolence-does-713000/) [Peacebuilding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peacebuilding/) [Prefer Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prefer-violence-4466323/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Running away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running-away/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [Violence Cowardice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-cowardice-702597/) [Violence Cowardly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-cowardly-488469/) ## Related quotes > [The fragrance of nonviolence was never sweeter than it was today amidst the stink of violence of the most cowardly type that was being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-fragrance-of-nonviolence-was-never-sweeter-than-it-was-today/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [My implicit faith in nonviolence does mean yielding to minorities when they are really weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-implicit-faith-in-nonviolence-does-mean-yielding-to-minorities/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [My nonviolence does recognize different species of violence, defensive and offensive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-nonviolence-does-recognize-different-species-of-violence-defensive/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [My nonviolence does not admit of running away from danger and leaving the dear ones unprotected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-nonviolence-does-not-admit-of-running-away-from-danger-and-leaving/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [If what passed as nonviolence does not enable people to protect the honour of women, or if it does not enable women to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/if-what-passed-as-nonviolence-does-not-enable-people-to-protect-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The cry for peace will be a cry in the wilderness, so long as the spirit of nonviolence does not dominate millions of men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-cry-for-peace-will-be-a-cry-in-the-wilderness-so-long-as-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [My creed of nonviolence does not favour the punishment of thieves and dacoits and even murderers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-creed-of-nonviolence-does-not-favour-the-punishment-of-thieves-and/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [When faced with a choice between violence and cowardice, always choose violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/when-faced-with-a-choice-between-violence-and-cowardice-always-choose/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Non-violence and cowardice are contradictory terms. Non-violence is the greatest virtue, cowardice the greatest vice. Non-violence springs from love, cowardice from hate. Non-violence always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/non-violence-and-cowardice-are-contradictory-terms-non-violence-is/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Choosing nonviolence does not mean that one will never get angry or become upset with others, including the ones we love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernice-king/choosing-nonviolence-does-not-mean-that-one-will-never-get-angry-or/) [Bernice King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernice-king/) > [A second basic fact that characterizes nonviolence is that it does not seek to defeat or humiliate the opponent, but to win his friendship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/a-second-basic-fact-that-characterizes-nonviolence-is-that-it-does/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I do believe that, where there is only a choice between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence. I would rather have India resort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-believe-that-where-there-is-only-a-choice-between-cowardice-and/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I can no more preach nonviolence to a cowardly man than I can tempt a blind man to enjoy healthy scenes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-can-no-more-preach-nonviolence-to-a-cowardly-man-than-i-can-tempt-a/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The weapon of nonviolence does not need supermen or superwomen to wield it; even beings of common clay can use it and have used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-weapon-of-nonviolence-does-not-need-supermen-or-superwomen-to/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Nonviolence does not require any outside or outward training.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/nonviolence-does-not-require-any-outside-or-outward-training/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## More by Mahatma Gandhi > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Devotion required by the Gita is no soft-hearted effusiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/devotion-required-by-the-gita-is-no-soft-hearted-effusiveness/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [So long as we fear the outside world, we must cease to think of Swaraj.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/so-long-as-we-fear-the-outside-world-we-must-cease-to-think-of-swaraj/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I do not want a kingdom, or heaven; what I want is to remove the trouble of the oppressed, the poor, and the needy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-a-kingdom-or-heaven-what-i-want-is-to-remove-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Religions are not for separating men from one another, they are meant to bind them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/religions-are-not-for-separating-men-from-one-another-they-are-meant/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I hold flesh-food to be unsuited to our species. We err in copying the lower animal world if we are superior to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-hold-flesh-food-to-be-unsuited-to-our-species-we-err-in-copying-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was only in South Africa that I got over this shyness, though I never completely overcame it. It was impossible for me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-was-only-in-south-africa-that-i-got-over-this-shyness-though-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Where there is life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/where-there-is-life/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [If it was wrong to seek God in a stone, how was it right to seek Him in a book called the Gita, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/if-it-was-wrong-to-seek-god-in-a-stone-how-was-it-right-to-seek-him/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The spirit of democracy cannot be established in the midst of terrorism, whether governmental or popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-spirit-of-democracy-cannot-be-established-in-the-midst-of/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Champions are made from something they have deep inside of them-a desire, a dream, a vison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/champions-are-made-from-something-they-have-deep-inside-of-them-a/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [My motto is "Unite now, today if you can; fight if you must. But in every case avoid British intervention."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/my-motto-is-unite-now-today-if-you-can-fight-if-you-must-but-in-every/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I have no disciples, being myself an aspirant after discipleship and in search of a guru.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-have-no-disciples-being-myself-an-aspirant-after-discipleship-and/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Man becomes not the lord and master of all creation but he is its servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/man-becomes-not-the-lord-and-master-of-all-creation-but-he-is-its/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) [Explore all 3,284 Mahatma Gandhi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## More Cowardice quotes > [“What is cowardice in the young is wisdom in the old, but all the same one can be ashamed of wisdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/what-is-cowardice-in-the-young-is-wisdom-in-the-old-but-all-the-same/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [The unpreparedness of the educated classes, the lack of practical links between them and the mass of the people, their laziness, and, let it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/the-unpreparedness-of-the-educated-classes-the-lack-of-practical/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [ \[D\]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesketh-pearson/d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-which-is-another-name-for/) [Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesketh-pearson/) > [Heckling is an act of cowardice. If you want to speak, get up in front of the microphone and speak, don't sit in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-connolly/heckling-is-an-act-of-cowardice-if-you-want-to-speak-get-up-in-front/) [Billy Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-connolly/) > [“To stand at the very moment when all seems lost is the point of insanity for the coward, but it is the home of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-stand-at-the-very-moment-when-all-seems-lost-is-the-point-of/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [The biggest obstacles to our progress exist within our own lives in the form of cowardice and the tendency to give up. Breaking through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/the-biggest-obstacles-to-our-progress-exist-within-our-own-lives-in/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) > [“I once knew a man who was heir to the throne of a great kingdom, he lived as a ranger and fought his destiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/i-once-knew-a-man-who-was-heir-to-the-throne-of-a-great-kingdom-he/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Man alone mesures time. And because of this, man alone suffers a paralyzing fear that no other creature endures. A fear of time running…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/man-alone-mesures-time-and-because-of-this-man-alone-suffers-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [With how many things are we on the brink of becoming acquainted, if cowardice or carelessness did not restrain our inquiries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/with-how-many-things-are-we-on-the-brink-of-becoming-acquainted-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“They are not brave, the days when we are twenty-one. They are full of little cowardices, little fears without foundation, and one is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/they-are-not-brave-the-days-when-we-are-twenty-one-they-are-full-of/) [Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [Survival, with honor, that outmoded and all-important word, is as difficult as ever and as all-important to a writer. Those who do not last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/survival-with-honor-that-outmoded-and-all-important-word-is-as/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“People run away from the love game because they know they won't win the race.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/people-run-away-from-the-love-game-because-they-know-they-won-t-win/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [A man may be accused of cowardice for fleeing away from all manner of physical dangers but when things supernatural, insubstantial and inexplicable threaten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-hill/a-man-may-be-accused-of-cowardice-for-fleeing-away-from-all-manner-of/) [Susan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-hill/) > [“Preparation eradicates cowardice, which we define as the failure to act in the midst of fear…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/four-from-divergent/preparation-eradicates-cowardice-which-we-define-as-the-failure-to/) [Four from Divergent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/four-from-divergent/) [Browse all 900 Cowardice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cowardice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nonviolence does not admit of running away from danger... . 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