BUDDHISM IN INDIA
Revival of Buddhism is not hostile to Hinduism: Kalon Tripa

By: Tharchin Y Gonpo
Dharamshala 22nd May 2007- The three day interactive forum from19th to 21st June was held between the Indian Buddhist representatives from Nagpur and Tibetan Geshes and learned monks and nuns from Dharamsala was held at the College for Higher Tibetan Studies in Dharamshala.

The Indian Buddhist group from Nagpur and few participants from Pune who reportedly called themselves as the followers of Buddhism advocated by Baba Saheb (Dr. Ambedkar) have come a long way to Dharamsala to initiate discussion and interaction with Tibetan Geshes and learned monks and nuns to learn more from Tibetan Buddhism and to foster mutual understanding between the two Buddhist communities. The dialogue between Nagpur and Dharamsala is the result of Dalai Lama’s visit to Pune in October in 2005.

Present at the forum were Kalon Tsering Phuntsok, Kalon Thubten Lungrig, Kalon Kesang Yangkyi Takla, Geshe Lhakdor, the former translator His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Geshe Kelsang Damdul, the assistant Director of Institute of Buddhist Dialectics whereas the Indian panel included the world-renowned scholars like Dhammachari Lokamitra, Naresh Mathur and Dharmachari Subhuti.

The movement to revive Buddhism in India should not be viewed as the opening of a hostile front against Hindu society, said Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche.

Naresh Mathur said, “Baba Saheb the Aarchitect of Indian Constitution embraced Buddhism to liberate himself from the oppressive social order, a caste and a path to liberation. So we have to understand that for the Tibetans His Holiness the Dalai Lama fulfills more role than one and likewise for the Indian Dalit community Baba Saheb played more role than one. Unfortunately, within 6 six weeks after taking refuge in Buddhism he passed away. Before he passed away Baba Saheb met Sangha Rakshita and requested him to take the responsibility of enlightening the thousands of Bikshas who had taken refuge in Buddhism. In this way Baba Saheb had tried to transfer some of his burdens off his shoulder. Subsequently after the death of Baba Saheb, Sangha Rakshita got himself actively involved in preaching the messages of Lord Buddha to thousands of followers particularly in Maharashtra.”

History has no precedent for how Buddhism became so widespread in the last four decades, Kalon Tripa said, adding that socio-political compulsions are always a major factor in the progression of a religion.

Although initially the motives for embracing Buddhism may differ from person to person, once a person takes refuge in the Three Precious Jewels, motivation of that person can gradually be reformed.

Kalon Tripa said that Babasaheb’s embracing of Buddhism is one of “the great, great historical events of the 20th century”--one that transformed the entire social fabric of the Republic of India.

“In fact, it would not be inappropriate if we were to address Babasaheb as a Bodhisattva.”
“Interestingly Tsunami disaster had unearthed numerous Buddhist idols there by exposing few thousands of Buddhist sites in the coastal belts in south India particularly in Tamil Nadu. As an Indian and a follower of Buddhism I began to understand and feel the extensive spread of Buddhism throughout India after traveling to various Buddhist pilgrimage sites like Amravati, Nalanda and Bhod Gaya and so on,” Naresh Mathur

“Baba Saheb wrote a book on the origins of shudras and the untouchables. He had said, although I have no evidence in my hand but he posed the question that if India was so strongly Buddhist as there are so many Buddhist sites unearthed after every few months. It is fact that Buddhism disappeared from its origin land, India after its monasteries were destroyed and its scriptures were burnt. But what happened to the Buddhist. There could be very few monks who had taken refuge in the neighbouring Buddhist countries like Sri Lanka, Tibet and so on. Then what happened to the common people who were Buddhist druing that time. They obviously didn’t vanish into the blue sky. There could be very few monks who had taken refuge in the neighbouring Buddhist countries like Sri Lanka, Tibet and so on. Then Baba Saheb had drawn the conclusion that these people, the Buddhist people of India were made the fifth caste, Shudras of India,” Naresh Mathur.

Dhammachari Lokamitra said, “Buddhism is coming back to its origin. There are over 20 - 30 million Indian Buddhist throughout India and these people belong to the poorest of the poor communities, obviously the lowest strata of the Indian caste system. We are only three hundred people preaching Buddhism to these oppressed people. Therefore, we need support and help from the Tibetan people who are the true holders of Buddha Dharma.”

He said, “We want your help in three ways; firstly, we want your understanding about what is happening in India in this revival of Buddhism in its origin land through Baba Saheb’s (Dr. Ambedkar) followers. There are people accusing Baba Saheb’s conversion into Buddhism as a political move. Of course, politics is there as politics enters into everything. But it is not about politics, it is about the complete change in people’s feeling about themselves and their attitude to each other and attitude towards life. In reality, it is the transformation through Buddha Dharma. If you understand the whole situation then it would be of immense help to us as many people are still staying under the shadows of ignorance.

Secondly, we want more than your understanding. We want your sympathy, love and sense of brotherhood feeling towards thousands and thousands of oppressed and poor people who have taken refuge in Buddha Dharma. They are not just poor people but are active forces that can bring immense change to the world.

Thirdly, we want more than sympathy. We want your active participation in the process of preaching messages of Lord Buddha to millions of Indian Buddhist. It will take some time to understand the aspirations of Indian Buddhist.”

Kalon Tripa pointed out that the social activism and connectivity that Buddhism enjoyed in Babasaheb’s lifetime has steadily whittled down in the subsequent years.

Kalon Tripa however strongly refuted the allegations that Babasaheb embraced Buddhism only as a political reaction to the repressive casteism, rather than as a means to attain salvation.

If he had wanted to open a hostile front against Hindu society, Kalon Tripa said, Babasaheb would have been wise enough to know that Buddhism is the least effective in matters of vengeance.

On the contrary, his choice of Buddhism was a conscious and rational decision, motivated by pure dharmic intentions, following decades of undertaking thorough studies, Kalon Tripa added.

Kalon Tripa further said that due to the lack of a proper system for in-depth religious education and training, the post-Babasaheb period has witnessed a lot of misinterpretation and misinformation--like Buddhism being an offshoot of Hinduism!

He said that the revival of Buddhism cannot be done by a particular people of a particular country. Buddhism can be restored to its rightful place only when it will have a mass social base, this in turn can only be possible with the collaboration and cooperation of the people from both the Mahayana and Thereveda traditions of the Buddha dharma, Kalon Tripa said.

Kalon Tripa further added that the forum, a first of its kind, must chalk out a realistic action plan that can be implemented by the Central Tibetan Administration, NGOs and various educational institutions.

During the three days of discussion the life story and the subsequent struggle that Baba Saheb had undergone prior to his conversion into Buddhism for the upliftment of lower caste people of India were narrated in detail