They often ask, how would you feel if we criticise your Religion and abuse or defame your God. Won’t your sentiments get hurt by that?
I always tell them – to go ahead with all the authority to criticise my religion, even to the extent to call for its destruction. To kill my God if you find any god-worship in my life.
If it is, my religion is not based on any myth or cult celebrating supernaturalism.
If it is, my religion doesn’t even have any God in it. Rather, it questions and then rejects the very existence of God almighty. It is the nothing but the teachings of Buddha.
Buddha doesn’t mind if anyone abuses him. According to a story, he just did not accept the verbal abuses thrown on him. He kept it easy without getting furious over the person who threw those abuses. So, if someone even considers Buddha as my God. They are free to throw bad words on Buddha. Buddha won’t accept it. He says religion based on God is based on speculation. It is also not worth having because it ends in creating superstition. Perhaps, this superstition becomes the basis of feeble sentiments that can be broken very easily by any criticism of it and its God. These feeble sentiments can lead to deep attachment for one’s religion. So, hurting them leads to insecurity, anger and violence.
Dhamma, the teachings of Buddha are based on morality where humans, humanity and the welfare and benefit of all beings forms its core. It teaches non-attachment. Non attachment, also with Buddha and Dhamma. So, no feeble sentiments. No anger. And this is how it leads towards non-violence.
So, what I am saying is people are free to criticise my teacher Buddha and my religion Dhamma.
In fact, I am also in the constant critical process of getting rid of any attachments with my teacher and religion. Buddha teaches impermanence and tells that being is becoming. He was one of the world’s greatest educator.
Buddha became and remained the only inspiration behind world’s greatest universities like Nalanda, Takshashila, Vikramshila, Odantapuri, Nagarjunkonda etc. These universities were the centres of excellence in philosophy, sciences and arts. They produced one of the world’s greatest and most beautiful cultures. No doubt, I aways start my (invited) lectures by honouring Buddha through reciting the verses –
‘Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhassa!’
As a human, I’ll always be in love and gratitude for Buddha for the teachings that he has given me. Also, for the philosophy of practice that he has shared for the good of humanity. Only this practice is making me realise the power of the Buddha who won the world, not by bloodshed, but by loving kindness. He’s my buddy, my teacher and my guide. Buddha is the principal of the school in whose kindergarten I just got myself admitted in.
Never as a God, but as a simple human who got a victory over himself, Buddha will always be a symbol of knowledge, reason, intelligence, wisdom and loving kindness. Not temples, but the Universities are the best places for the installations of Buddha sculptures.
(The image is clicked at the entrance of the library of IIT Bombay, well known as the supreme institution of scientific-technology and innovation in India.)
Written by Baudhkāro Vruttant
(Dr. Vruttant Manwatkar is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at KC, College, HSNC University, Mumbai. He is also the founder-member of Baudhkāro)
Correct.