The DV Debate on Budhism, and particularly on the Japanese Nichiren sect and Lotus Sutra has been going for quite some time. The Debate has been oscillating between two poles of active and passive Budhism. As such the writers either concentrate on Nichiren’s active and offensive cult or on Goenka’s passive and defensive cult. The participants in this Debate seem to have lost sight of Ambedkarite Budhism which unequivocally claims that in the Indian context it is Budhism alone than can counter Brahminism IF the followers of Babasaheb honestly care to tread the guidelines given by him.
Outside India wherever Budhism is practiced, it doesn’t have to face the challenge of Brahminism. So in whatever form Budhism is practiced in other countries, mostly it is used by its adherents to generate inner peace by emphasizing such techniques as meditation and Vipassana.
Defects of monks: But in India Ambedkarite Budhism has been assigned an altogether different mission which people outside don’t have to bother much. We must remember that Babasaheb was not very happy about international Budhist brotherhood. Neither he wanted his Indian counterparts to follow Budhist monks
of Budhist countries. He had very clearly aired his views about monks when he had visited Sri Lanka. Again in 1954, at Kathmandu (Nepal) he had touched upon the philosophical differences between Karl Marx and the Budha. In his opinion Marxism was replacing Budhism only because of the passivity and lack of vision on the part of the community of monks which constitutes the backbone of Budhist mission of propagation
Babasaheb introduced Budhism to his followers in India and abroad with a purpose, with a mission. This mission cannot be accomplished by following Nichiren cult or by following Goenka cult. But the mission of defeating Brahminism can be materialized by following the guidelines given by Babasaheb through his writings and speeches. It will indeed be beneficial if writers in the DV Debate on Budhism become vocal on Ambedkarite Budhism instead of giving so much space to Nichiren and Goenka. In fact we have no concern with them.
Goenka has intentionally brought the meditative cult of Budhism which is absolutely unsuited in the Indian context. So, why don’t we have a rational, balanced and lively debate on Ambedkarite Budhism in DV?
