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Buddhism & Social Justice : Some Reflections
: Dr S.P. Gupta
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The Concept of Social Justice go back to the origin of civilised human society and is at the back of all human vlaues. Social justice is an abstraction that originates from an innate urge embedded in human nature that in any interaction among humans, a person should get what he/she deserves as a fellow member. The concept of social justice is based on postulate that society is responsible for the under served suffering of its members and as such society as a whole should repair the deprivation and should construct social means to ensure that such harm is avoided (Nayar 2008 : 5)
Coming to the Indian Society, we find that our society was shown deep concern for social justice. The vedic connotation of Dharma which is the base of justice means that which helps the upliftment of living being. We are embedded in a wider and vast network of mutual responsibility in which empathy and compassion call for the minimisation of human suffering. In the revolt against the Vedic religion of sacrifices and caste system in India by Buddha, developed an independent religon. It upholds the concept of social justice and ethical practice to personal and social life. In Indian society the idea of libery, equality and fraternity were core issues of social justice and Buddhism was oriented towards -
(a) Challenging the authority of Vedas
(b) Favouring admission of persons irrespective of their caste and gender into their gaña or Sangha
(c) Observance of ethical norms.
While we talk of social justice in Buddhism, it forms one of the three principles of Buddhism.
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