________________
118:
śramana, Vol 59, No. 3/July-September 2008
So, it reveals that the Buddhism is closest to worldview of rational society insofar as the following features are concerned :
1. It emphasizes on experience and reason instead of faith. 2. Its emphasis is on possibility of emancipation in this life
and in this world instead of in afterlife or in some other world.
3. Non-acceptance of the transcendental entities such as God
and Soul.2
In this background Buddhism strongly condemned to the caste system. This was perhaps one of the main reasons that why Buddhism thrown out of the country. Buddhism spread in many countries outside India where caste system was a non-issue. It has a additional reason that Buddhism promotes a value which is centrally concerned with justice and which leads to the establishment of an ideal society based on perfect justice. In the words of Ambedkar, “The Religion of Buddha is perfect justice springing from a man's own meritorious disposition.
The second major contribution of Buddha is doctrine of "Karma and Rebirth” which presented new dimension to society. Buddha's theory of Karma is based on the law of causation or the doctrine of Dependent originations. Our present life is due to impressions of karmas of the past and it will shape our future life. Karma is an impersonal law which works by itself. Unlike the orthodox Hindu theory of Karma, Buddhist theory of Karma does not depend on any divine power. Also unlike the Jain Karma, the Bauddha Karma is not subtle matter pulling down the soul from its spiritual height. Buddhism provides a unique rational fact in which life is a series of manifestations of becoming. There is nothing, Human or divine, that is permanent. And also rebirth is only a beginning of new life. According to Buddha, proceeding link does not perish before transmitting its content to succeeding link and so
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
