Sarva Dharma Sambhav - III
By Tilak B. Shrestha - III
It is really embarrassing to note that there are many individuals who claim to be Buddhists, but not Hindus. These pseudo-intellectuals can neither define Hinduism nor know the Dharma taught by Gautam Buddha. They use words 'Hinduism' and 'Buddhism' merely as a political weapon. This is precisely what Buddhism is not about. Buddha's genius accomplished a major breakthrough within the long traditions of Hinduism.
Basically, up to the time of Buddha it was assumed that an individual could not achieve salvation working within human faculty. An individual may practice different 'Yogas' to advance, but ultimately has to rely on the faith in the divinity. The divinity is expressed through the scriptures. Thus relying on scriptures is a must for any spiritual practices. Dwaita (Vaishnav), Adwaita (Shaiva) and other philosophies depend upon the scriptures or 'Vedas.' Only group of people who do not agree with the thesis are the materialists (Charvak). Materialists use scientific or objective study only. Thus, they question the very existence of the divinity and the use of scriptures.
Buddha Dharma teaches that an individual could achieve salvation by working within the human faculty or empirical means, without depending on the faith or the revelation. Another teacher, Mahabir of Jainism, also taught similar thesis. Thus, Buddhism is independent of Vedas. It is like an educationist claiming that a person can learn without going to a school. A yogi does not have to make the assumption of the divinity and thus the Buddhist method is more rigorous. Let us take the case of Buddhist analysis of the suffering or 'Dukkha' given as the four noble truths. The suffering is ubiquitous, because it originates from the very nature of the mind. The reason of the suffering is the attachments due to the ego. Thus the solution of the problem is getting rid of attachments. It can be achieved by personal effort. Here Buddha is making an analysis of a problem and coming with a solution strictly within human faculty without relying on any supra-humanity. Let us put Buddha's teaching in the proper perspective. He was advocating the new found way, which led him to the enlightenment. He is not denying other ways. Though his way was independent of Veda, he was not negating it. His denial of the 'Soul' (Ahahata) is within human faculty, but not in the purview of the universal reality (Bodhi, Brahma). Buddhist practices of morality, meditation, reflections etc. are simply the existing Yoga practices. He was not creating a social or a political group of people or a nation called 'Buddhist.' Buddha's method is experiential and does not use faith, divinity or revelation. He is merely asking to analyze our own mind objectively. Thus, it can be practiced by Chinese, Nigerians, Black, White, Jews, Christians, Vaishnavs, Atheists, Chemists, Meteorologists, Women, Children, Soccer players, Poets, Soldiers, Tourists, Communists and every body in between. To make Buddhists a separate political group is ignorance, to say the least. Similarly, Hinduism is also not about creating a social or a political group. Hinduism means whole spectrum of spiritual practices and views in the sub-continent including that of materialism, empiricism, and revelations in scriptures. Let Buddhism speak for itself about its root. The universal reality (Bodhi, Brahma) is symbolized by the sound 'OM' in Veda. The most repeated Buddhist Sutra proclaims that 'goodness comes out of goodness (may not be evident)', that is 'there is a jewel in the lotus (though not visible), or in Tibetan 'OM, mani padme hum.'
Let us not forget that there are always some irritants and problems in any society, which can be addressed amicably and in a democratic way. It will be really a sad mistake to blow any problem out of proportion and create divisions among brothers and sisters. As an old Hindi saying 'bhai fhutey ganwar lootey' puts, if we engage in such non-existing problems between so called 'Hindus' and 'Buddhists', very soon there would not be any Hindus or Buddhists left to quarrel with.
According to both our spiritual and democratic norms, we believe in protection and equal rights of minorities. In Nepali context, it is about Muslim and Christian Nepalis. Before Muslims and Christians came to Nepal, for that matter even before Islam or Christianity was born we had our custom. When Muslims and Christians came to Nepal they lived within the existing system. They were free practice any of their religious believes without hampering existing practices. Of course, the only restriction they had was not to eat beef. Dr. Mohammad Mohsin, Nepali ex-minister and a prominent Muslim leader states, 'as a proud Muslim I do not eat pork, and as a proud Nepali I do not eat beef.' Nepali Muslims and Christians make about 5% of the population. It is also a historical record that Nepali kings provided land and other assistance to build mosques and churches in Nepal. It is also a proud historical record that Muslims or Christians settled in Nepal were never persecuted or discriminated. Even today government of Nepal provides adequate foreign exchange for Nepali Muslims to go to 'Haj' or pilgrimage. In Nepal, it is the duty of every citizen to live as a Nepali.
The key problem in terms of religion we are facing is the foreign challenge of 'Conversion.' People seem to underestimate the gravity of the problem. Conversion is not about economic exploitation or political arms twisting, but it is about attacking our very root, our culture and identity. The chief problem being faced by the black Americans today is not the slavery or racism but the effects of total destruction of their cultural heritage and forced implanting of European culture onto them.We must differentiate between a noble ideal of 'freedom of religion', which we have always been practicing; and foreign aggression of conversion, which is victimization of our people in our own country using our backwardness as the weapon.
There should be mutual respect and exchange of views so that different religious groups in a society can peacefully coexist, learn from and understand each other. But we must oppose the arrival of hardened foreign religious zealots with a single mind of conversion. They do not know mutual respect. They would not even entertain our viewpoint. They insult our spiritual heritage. They come with the proposition that we are evil heathens, and the only solution is to convert to their religion. There is no room for coexistence and mutual respect. Both Christianity and Islam are close and totalitarian religions; and starts with the proposition that their
religion is the only true way to God, and all other religions are wrong. This is the fundamental factor that governs their psyche and forces them to see people of other religions essentially as adversary. This is the factor behind crusades, jehads, persecutions of Jews in Europe, destructions of Christian churches and Hindu temples by Muslims, destructions of mosques and temples by Christians; and forced conversions.
In comparison, Hindus do not convert others, nor have ever destroyed any mosques or churches. We need to understand this essential issue that Hinduism practices democratic multi-faceted life. Whereas Christianity and Islam both prescribe and strictly enforce a single paradigm for world at large, for any body, who would not buy their prescription, hell is reserved in the next life, if not in this.
We especially need to understand the aggression of Christian zealots from the west. Presently our economy, education, natural resources stand among the poorest. Moreover, we do not have any organized religious institutes like church or mosque. We are the easy victims for the trained foreign zealots to hunt and convert at will. Our Dharmik concepts are not taught in our schools. But it is mandatory to study Bible in Christian run schools. Like vultures they wait wearing the mask of a good Samaritan to get people at their most vulnerable time. What have we got to match even remotely their money, technology and professionalism? Especially, we need to understand the celluloid glamour and charm of the rich western countries versus economically stagnant and limited lifestyle of our country. The story of conversions in Assam, Nagaland and other parts of secular India is being repeated in Nepal.
Christian bigots have produced a documentary called "God's of New Age", and is being screened in churches and other public places. The documentary simply tells that oriental religions are created by Satan to counter balance the Christianity. Lord Shiva, Lord Krishna are simply depicted as Satan incarnates. It is being taught that Hindus do not have ethics. Why such a hostility? It is the inherent nature of the Semitic religions. Believe it or not, the defining doctrine of Christianity is - 'All the Christians will go to heaven, no matter how evil. And every body else will go to hell, no matter how virtuous.' Its only strategy of survival against Socratic inquiry is the sheer brain washing. As Europeans are getting wise out of this nonsense, it is looking for new victims in Nepal.
Once upon a time, Hinduism was spread from Eastern Europe in west to Indonesia in east. Until recently, only one small country was left as a Hindu country. What happens when a group of people do not have place or a country to fall back upon is amply illustrated by the history of the Jewish people. Any body who wants to open his or her eyes need to learn about Jewish persecution, exodus and holocaust. Presently as Jewish people are struggling to re-create 'Israel' out of nowhere; sadly we Nepalis seem to be oblivious to erosion of our very roots.
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