SWAMIJI ON THE BUDDHA

Swamiji on the Buddha
U.N.Biswas
(Buddhism, The Fulfilment of Hinduism, At the Parliament of Religions, Address of Swami Vivekananda, Chicago, 26th September, 1893, should not be taken as his final views on the Buddha or Buddhism. His address in 1900( the address under discussion) is substantially different from the address of 1893. Mr. S.K.Ghosh, a genuine scholar on Swamiji, is of the opinion that as time rolled, Swamiji, as a seer, discovered the nature of the doctrine of the Master. Having gone through again, i, fully agree with him. Swamiji did not agree to the doctrine of the Buddha, but one can be absolutely sure, that he understood the original doctrine like Ambedkar. Perhaps they were the two great persons of India of modern times who could unravel the true nature of the doctrine.)

1.Caste
1. Three Acts: The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, The Scheduled Castes and The Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989.) and The Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
Human rights are, “the rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in the International Covenants and enforceable by the courts in India.” [Section 2(d)] of The Protection of Human Rights Act. Caste denies all these rights and to prevent these violations, we have two acts, The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, The Scheduled Castes and The Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989.) and yet more than two thousand offences are committed infringing right to life, liberty, equality and dignity of individuals, humiliations, indignities, harassment, bonded labour, forced labour, denial equal wages, denial of self-respect to women and many other such crimes to terrorize the socially marginalized sections of the people of India. The root of all these violations is caste. Dr. Radhakrishnan , during adoption of Buddhist concept of Dharmachakra in the National Flag of India, said, “ If this country has suffered in the recent past, it is due to our resistance to change. There are so many challenges hurled at us and if we have not got the courage and strength to move along with the times, we will be left behind. There are so many institutions which are worked in to our social fabric like caste and untouchability. Unless these are scrapped, we cannot say that we either seek truth or practice virtue.”(Constituent Assembly, 22 July 1947.)
Caste breeds violence, harm and injury while non-violence is absence of violence, harm and injury. Therefore, caste is not compatible with non-violence. The Buddha did away with caste. Dr. Radhahrishnan pleaded for scrapping away of caste and we all know how Ambedkar resurrected the movement against caste launched by the Buddha. Gandhiji vigorously worked to abolish untouchability within the frame work of caste. The Supreme Court of India, some time back, observed that the root of all evils in Indian society is caste.
Swamiji considered breaking down of caste by the Buddha was a ‘tremendous movement.’ The Buddha preached the idea of equality. “You see that non-killing of animals and charity towards animals was already an existing doctrine when he was born; but it was new with him- the breaking down of caste, that tremendous movement.”( Buddhistic India, Delivered at the Shakespeare Club, Pasadena, California, on February 2, 1900.) The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda,Advaita Ashrama, Vol.III,Calcutta,1997,p.527.)
2.The Doctrine of the Buddha
Buddhism denies self, soul, god or permanence. “You know he denied that there was any soul in man – that is, in the Hindu sense of the word. Now, we Hindus believe that that there is some thing permanent in man, which is unchangeable and which is living through all eternity. And that we call Atman, which without beginning and without end. And [we believe] that there is something permanent in nature [and that we call Brahman, which is also without beginning and without end]. He denied both of these. He said that there is no proof of anything permanent.” Everything is in constant state of flux. It is like the waves of a flowing river, it is continuously changing. “So is this life; so is all body, so is all mind.”(ibid, p.529.)

The Buddha did not believe in self. “The Master says that selfishness is the greatest curse of the world; that we are selfish and therein is the curse. There should be no motive for selfishness.” ( ibid,p.529.)
Swamiji as a Hindu monk, believed in self, God, soul and immortality. Gandhi, as a Hindu, also adhered to the doctrine of self, God, soul and permanence.
A Buddhist never sheds blood to spread Buddhism. This is his heritage right from the day the Buddha set the wheel of law rolling at the deer garden of Ancient Ishipatana, modern Sarntah, near Varanasi. Buddhism flourished all over India and then came a time, when Buddhism was wiped out from India except Bengal, where majority of the people, were still Buddhists. The overthrow of the Buddhist Palas by the orthodox Brahmins hammered the last nail in the coffin. A large number of monks fled to neighboring countries. Buddhist practices continued in disguise in Bengal. That tradition flows in the folk-culture of Bengal.
3. No Bloodshed to Spread the Doctrine
Not a single drop of blood has been shed to propagate Buddhism. This is unique. Imagine half a million people in one place only in 1956, instead of taking the way of the Buddha with him, take arms and fight, what would happen! Blood for blood! That was not to be. It was the most non-violent, peaceful gathering that 20th century had witnessed. Suddenly, and at once, Buddhism, which had been driven out of India, had returned. A new era in the history of India had begun. He was the greatest non-violent social revolutionary of 20th century. .
“Excepting the Buddistic religion, there is not one religion in the world which could make one step without bloodshed- not one which could get a hundred converts just by brain power alone. No, no. All through.” ( ibid, p. 532.)
4. Defiance against Tyrannical Brahiminism
Prof. Mitra in his Preface to ‘The Tribes Castes of Bengal’, 1951, precisely chronicles the rise and fall of excellence in Indian society. He correlates the rise with the ascendancy of Buddhism and the fall with the dominance of Brahminism. He maintained the same stand when he spoke on the occasion of Babashaeb centenary celebration organized by the Government of West Bengal and Dr. Bhupendranath Dutta Memorial Lecture delivered by him in 1994, at The Asiatic Society.
“Few people must have known better than Nehru how Varnashram and Brahmanical dominance slowly crippled India down the ages. After all this is what is implicit in a letter 1 have just referred to. He knew how India's vitality was at a high level, precisely for this reason, when Buddhism made its tremendous sweep by doing away social and caste barriers, restoring confidence and dignity among the lowest of the low ushering in social equity and equality of opportunity. Nowhere was this equality of opportunity and redemption of the lowest of the low better demonstrated than in the canonization of the eighty four Siddhas in Buddhist literature.”
“Nehru knew how Brahminical resurgence after Buddhism restored social inequality and Varnashram plunged India in to social and political fragmentation.”
The Buddha defied the irrational dictates of the Brahmins.“And never that man bent before even the power of the tyrannical Brahmins. Never that man bent.” ( ibid, p.529.)
5. Nothing Remains except Reputation
What remains is character, nothing else.( ibid, p.530.) Reputation, says a character in Shakespeare, ‘is the immortal part of a person. Another character of Shakespeare, says, “Good name in man and man, dear my lord,
Is the immediate jewel of their souls.
Who steals my purse steals trash; it’s something,
nothing;
‘Twas mine, ‘tis his, and has been slave to thousands;
But he that filches my good name
Robs of that which not enriches him
And makes me poor indeed.( The Tragedy of Othello The Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare.)
Napoleon was not only a great warrior; he had profound depth of knowledge.
“ A great reputation is like a great sound. Laws, institutions, monuments, nations perish, but the sound endures and echoes down the generation… I feel the infinite within me.”
The Buddha was one of the most cursed of his time. He was accused of murder. Once a woman alleged that he impregnated her. Again he was the most praised man during his life time. The Buddha did never retaliate. The Buddha took both abuse and praise in equanimity
6. The Buddha- a historical personality
Recorded history of India starts with the Buddha era and we have enormous records about the life and doctrine of the Buddha. The Buddha was a historical personality. “And that man was born- the great man Buddha. Most of you know about him, his life.” .. “he is one of the most historical prophets of the world.” ( Buddhistic India, [ Delivered at the Shakespeare Club, Pasadena, California, on February 2, 1900.] The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda,Advaita Ashrama, Vol.III,Calcutta,1997, p.524.)
7. Rationality
The Buddha could foresee of spinning of all kinds of myths around him after his death. His message was very clear. Test by reason before you accept any doctrine or opinion. Irrationality has no room in his doctrine. He warned people not to believe anything attributed to him which did not pass the test of reason.
. “These are memorable words of Buddha: .. “ Test everything, try everything, and then believe it, and if you find it for the good of many, give it to all.”
The greatest man that the world ever seen. “ The sanest philosopher the world ever saw. Its best and its sanest teacher.” ( ibid, pp.528-529.)
8. No claim of superiority
The Buddha never claimed superiority. He said that he was a man among men. “When kingdoms were at his feet, he was still the same man, maintaining, “I am a man amongst men.”( ibid, p.527.)
9. Diligently Work out
No miracle, no blessings can give salvation. One has to diligently workout gown’s salvation. A teacher can only give us the way to reach the goal, he can tell how he has achieved it but he cannot work it out for us.
. “And O, thou Ananda, I am passing away. Weep not for me. Think not for me. I am gone. Work out diligently your own salvation.” ( ibid,p.528.)
10. Hindus never understood the Buddha
Swamiji says, he could not understand him. That is his humility. When he delivered the address in 1893 in Chicago, his vision of Buddhism appears to be tentative. As he went deep inside the doctrine of the Master, he discovered its scientific character and universal appeal to do good to man. He differed from the Master so far the doctrine is concerned but his understanding was complete.
The Hindus could not understand the Buddha. “Well I did not understand his doctrine- we Hindus never understood it.” (ibid, p.529.)
Swamiji certainly discovered Buddhism but as a Hindu, differed from the doctrine of the Master. He was a Hindu Monk who believed in self, soul, immortality and God which are diametrically opposite to Buddhism. He, like Gandhi, exhorted people to abolish untouchability. He gave clarion call to treat the untouchables as brothers, yet, his stand on the issue, has not escaped serious criticism.
“Swami Vivekanada was wild with rage at the pollution prescriptions of the Tamil Aaiyars and Iyengars and Malayali Nambbdris. But right in North Calcutta orthodox Banik families- as I have ascertained from a lady of a renowned Banik house in Calcutta- Gandha, Kangsha, Swarna and Sanka- who by no means that low in he caste hierarchy- would not knowingly let their shadows cross a Brahmin’s thali of food.”( Mitra, Asok: 1993.)
Gandhi, like Swamiji, as a Hindu, subscribed Hindu belief of self, soul, god and immortality.
Gandhi worked within the frame work of Varnashram, while Ambedkar visualized building a new India on the foundations of democratic values of equality, liberty, fraternity, dignity and justice. Prof. Mitra was never impressed by the model of social reconstruction within caste system.
“I have never felt comfortable with Gandhiji's affirmation of Hindus' Varnashram caste or caste hierarchy. To me his nationwide, movement for social reform and his adoption of the word Harijan for his political mouth, all within the frame work of Varnashrarn fail to make much sense and there was certainly no substitute for Ambedkar's plea for equal partnership and respect for all. It was plain, right from the first round table conference that Gandhiji had failed and would fail to take the wind out of B. R. Ambedkar's sail if he did not act otherwise. I feel it was tragic that Gandhiji did not make common cause with Dr. Ambedkar. Gandhiji's default made it possible for Dr. Ambedkar to move to strength while both lived. But after their death, Ambedkar's message has gained strength and Gandhiji's Varnashram has become a menace and tool in the hands a conservative upper caste Hindu political dominance. I like to think how Dr. Ambedkar would have, helped to build a strong secular, socially egalitarian India. Ambedkar made serious contribution by insisting on the preamble and the fundamental Rights in our Constitution and its basic frame of equality and democracy. He also had a big hand in fashioning a uniform civil code, which, had we put it on the statute book, would have been removed many of the evils existing in our country today if only he had gained appropriate support from Nehru. Only Nehru could have helped (Emphasis added.)(Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, A Centenary Tribute,Govt. of West Bengal, Calcutta, 1993,pp.5-9.)

In Buddhism, there is no room for caste, self, soul, God and permanence. Swamiji, has categorically stated this. On the occasion of 2553rd birth anniversary of the Buddha, we may once gain look back to the original doctrine of the Buddha. Those who intend to understand the Buddha may like to go through what Swamiji said on the Buddha.
U.N.Biswas,
Convener, Dharmachakra
- An Effort to spread the message of Dharmachakra in the National Flag of India.
8 May 2009
CG 22, Sector II, Salt Lake City, Calcutta-700091.