Ambethkar's Dhamma - excerpts

Buddha dhamma - Dr. Ambethkar


 One of the recent books I have read is Ambedkar's "Buddha and His Dhamma" (Ambedkar's Book. 22.) Though it was written in a new style, it was enjoyable.  The book provides plenty of information for those who are just starting out with a superficial understanding of Buddhism.  It also gives a complete account of Buddha's life and philosophy.  The book is easy to read.

 General Understanding

 When Buddha was young, we are taught  that he left the young wife and their child, an infant boy, to go to the forest one fine night  to learn the truth.  What really happened?  This book answers the questions of why the Buddha undertook Parivrajam (asceticism) at the age of 29.  There are some fabulous stories that until the 29th year of his life he was not aware of death, disease and old age and suddenly he leaves the family to forest in search of answers.  There is no record of any such incident, Ambethkar says. He then goes on to explain in what context he went to the forest..

        As the son of the king of the kingdom of Sakhiya, Siddhartha Gautama was a member of the Sakhi Sangham, an association of important people in the kingdom.  Disputes over water sharing with neighboring Goliya arose and the solution decided was war. Most of the members of the sangha were for waging a war over the dispute. Gautama was for dialogue and it was rejected by voting in the sangha. But still Gautama refused to accept war as a solution. As there was the danger of ex communicating his entire family, Gautama offered to go for parivrajam in forest. The sangha
accepted his idea and hence he started his journey seeking truth in the forest.

       Ambedkar says that he left for parivrajyam only after getting consent from his young wife.But his parents and the people in the Sakiya kingdom were not happy with his decision.
Now as a monk, he began to search for the 'ultimate'truth and thus the search for the Gautama's Truth began.

 Religion and Buddhism

         The so-called religions have some grammar that they will discuss and comment on the origin of the world, the origin of God (God), the origin of man and other creatures, the mysteries of birth and death, heaven and hell.  Ambedkar notes that the Buddha does not take any stand in any of his discussions and does not spell out anything on these matters.  2400 years ago, he revolutionized that he would speak of the necessities of human life without referring to himself as an angel or a prophet of god.

 Buddhahood

          In his quest for truth, Gautama tried all kinds of religious and spiritual paths and was not satisfied with any of them. Ultimately after four weeks of intense fasting he sees two problemsi n the world. There is sorrow in this world and there are soultions to make people happy. Buddha was born.  Some of the Buddha's philosophical elements were in tune with Kapila Muni's principles though he did not accept all his ideas. He accepts that the key features of Kapilar's are the need to prove reality and that rationally there is no basis in the concept of God.

          The Buddha, who denies the the scriptures and vedas of his time says that no concept can be conclusive or appropriate for all time, and that it is under review all the time. The Buddha who accepted the sacrifices that others make for the benefit of the self, says that do not accept doing yagnas.  He was fiercely opposed sacrificing animals in the yagnas.The Buddha completely
dismisses the notion of Brahminism as hostile to the way of life.

 Brahmam, Upanishads

        The central theme of the Vedic Upanishads is the Brahmam concept. The Buddha finds  no evidence for this. Ambedkar points out that there were sixty-two philosophical divisions in the Buddha's period that contradicted the Vedic doctrine.

 The doctrines which the Buddha accepted and rejected

       The Buddha regards the mind as the center of all things. So if you know the mind, it means everything is known, so the mind first needs to be purified. True religion is not in the books,
but in their adherence to the doctrines of it.. The Buddha denied that man was created by God
Many rumors about the soul were all false. He rejected it and avoided associating it with the senses of the body.

         According to Ambedkar, the Buddha accepts the law of causality with some conditions. He rejects the idea of ​​karma as a new scientific point of view, dismissing the reason for the current events.  The doctrine of Moksham has been replaced by the Nirvana or eternal doctrine.  Ambedkar says Buddha presented a new wine in the old bottle.

 Teachings

       Buddha believed in a middle path between sensory indulgence and total abstinence.  "All the pleasures are subordinate, but it is evil not to fulfill the necessities of life. It is man's duty to keep
the body in good condition. His religion is out of tune with God andthesoul,incompatible with the afterlife, and it was without ritual practices. The center of his teaching was on the relationship between man and man and man.  Its sole purpose is to free man from all sorrow..
Do not kill.  Lying, stealing, and possessing other things are lustful. The Buddha says it is against Dhamma.. The Buddha says that compassion is essential to humanity and that it is the love of all life.

    The Buddha says that his goal is to eliminate human suffering.  According to  Ambedkar, no religious founder ever in world history says this. Buddhism is the only religion in the world to say that the basic purpose of religion is to make people feel happy and eliminate suffering.

 Monasticism

 The Buddha says that it is useless to seek rest and go to the monastery.  The Buddha insists on doing a good job by putting himself wholeheartedly in whatever human beings are doing.  We see that the Buddha advises to lead the life of this world in contrast to the general understanding that Buddhism insists on asceticism.

 Other religions and Buddhism

         In Christianity, Jesus Christ was the Messenger of God and the Messenger of Islam was Muhammad..If followers don't believe this, salvation is not possible.The Buddha did not imposeany such conditions. He claimed that he was a commoner.  He did not give any condition to attain nirvana. Following of Dhamma alone is important in Buddhism.  Unlike otherreligions,Buddhism
is a social philosophy, says Ambedkar.

 Poverty and Buddhism

         Buddha does not say that the poor are blessed like Christ does. A prosperous life is welcomefor all He also teaches that diligent action is required. One should not become a slave to infinitegreed. .

 God doctrine and Buddhism

          Buddha does not accept that God as reason for all the orderliness of the universe andi t fixes the Khamma niyama as the reason for it. So this khamma niyama concept takes the place of
god in Buddhism.

 Unknown - Universe

          On the question of the origin of the universe, Buddha pleads ignorant and he also says that no one can know that he himself did not know.  He goes on to say that what is unknown always remains.  Buddha makes no comment on such unknown things. Buddha does not believe the world was created by God like figure. .

 Review

          Buddha denied that the Vedas were sacred and so was his Dhamma. All the texts were not conclusive and should be under review constantly.  He also said that he did not believe that there was nothing wrong with his books.

 The purpose of religions

           Religions must teach that the earth is the kingdom of justice and what is right and wrong Buddha insists, too.  His religious essence is to learn.

 Inequality

           Inequality is the Official Principle of Brahmanism that The Buddha was vehemently opposed.  Buddhism says that all men are equal.

 Religion

           Ambedkar notes that the definition of religion has always been different in the east. Buddhism is different from the concept of religion that Europeans refer to.  Buddhism tries to  explain the relationship between man.  Abrahamic Religions aim to reveal the origins of cosmic objects.  They are not important in buddha's religion. Dhamma assumes that the history of the universe does not benefit man.  Eliminating suffering is the main goal.  Ambedkar explains that western concepts of religion and  Buddha's religion differ in their basic doctrine.  He says that religion is not the key to morality.

 Rebirth

          The Buddha did not believe in the uniqueness of the soul.  As far as the soul is concerned, he is an extinctionist.  As for the pulp material, he is not an extinctionist.  The Buddha denies the idea that the soul is immortal, but that the energy of the material is not destructive, he says, that matter reunites with matter and takes birth. In this way, the Buddha accepts rebirth.

 Non-violence and Buddhism

          Buddhism emphasizes non-violence.  To be gracious to all living beings, not just to human. Buddha also refers to it as Maitri.  Ambedkar says he accepts non-vegetarian food where the causeof death of animal is not food. Even Buddhist preachers can accept non-vegetarian food on this condition. But this argument is not in accordance with Mahayana Buddhism.

 Death

          Buddha gave no comments on death or what will happen after death. He says that discussion on them do not benefit in any way human life at all.

Prayer

          The Buddha considers prayers and worship to God or other angels to be futile.

 Food and purity

          The Buddha says that the food you eat does not cleanse you in any manner.
He considers that the good deeds and thoughts of a man are more important than his eating habits..

 In conclusion

          Buddhism does not want us to be blind believers of anything or anyone. It wantsi ts followers to follow scientific and wholesome path that lead them to their inner light.




































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