Relevance of Buddhism for values

In Revolution and Counter-Revolution Ambedkar wrote: “Buddhism was a revolution. It was as great a Revolution as the French Revolution. Though it began as a Religious revolution, it became more than Religious revolution. It became a Social and Political Revolution.”

In unpublished preface to Buddha and His Dhamma Ambedkar (1956) wrote: “Buddha's Religion was the only religion which a society awakened by science could accept, and without which it would perish.” Buddha’s teachings are as relevant today as they were two and half thousand years ago. He said: everything in the world is constantly changing, body and intellect (or soul) are inseparable, all things are dependent on each other and, therefore, nothing has independent existence. He advocated middle of the road approach in everything and in all difficult situations offered simple and rational solutions (one may say compromises). The fact that Buddhism spread to so many lands outside India is itself indicative of the fact that it was practical and positive and served the needs of the time. He formed and guided the Sangh using a practical approach. One example of this is that contrary to his basic ideas he did not permit people suffering from leprosy, boils, dry leprosy, consumption and fits to join the Sangh (Rhys and Oldenberg, 1965, 191). This often meant sanction for continuing inequality between master and servant, husband and wife and men and women, though he suggested ethical principles for masters, husbands and men (towards women) too. For example, he once blessed a group of girls who were newly married and were to go to husband’s house. He advised them to accept husbands arranged for them by their father, learn the home-crafts of their husband’s, pay respect to all relatives of husband, rise up early, retire in the last, work happily and save the husbands wealth, though he accepted that women are as much capable of achieving liberation as men, and unlike Brahminical position on the subject, he also permitted women to become Parivrajak (though with eight conditions). .