Q.3. B. R Ambedkar’s view on Nibbana
Ambedkar says that Buddha replaced the doctrine of Moksha or salvation of the soul by the doctrine of Nibbana. According to Ambedkar, Nibbanameans release from passions. The middle path of Buddha leads us from greed and resentment to peace, insight, enlightenment and Nibbana. The eight-fold path consists of right outlook, right aims, right speech, right action, right means of livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration.
To shed this greed and this resentment, there is the Middle Way which gives us eyes to see and makes us know, leading us on to peace, insight, enlightenment and Nibbana.
What is this Middle Way ? It is naught but the Noble Eight-fold Path of right outlook, right aims, right speech, right action, right means of livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration; this. Almsmen is the Middle Way.
For the shedding of inflation and indolence there is the Middle Way—giving us eyes to see, making us know, and leading us on to peace, insight, enlightenment.
Nibbana which is naught but that Noble Eight-fold Path, according to Ambedkar.
SECTION B:
Q.1. B. R Ambedkar’s view on Karma
Ambedkar maintains that Buddha discarded the theory that all deeds committed in some former birth have a potency to produce suffering in the present life. He denied the fatalistic view of Karma and replaced it with a much more scientific view.
According to Ambedkar, there is no doctrine in Buddha’s Dhamma, which has created so much confusion as the doctrine of Karma. The Buddha’s law of Karma cannot be the same as the Brahminical law of Karma. The Hindu law of Karma is based on the soul. The Buddhist law of Karma is not. In fact, there is no soul in Buddhism. The Brahminical law of Karma is hereditary. It goes on from one life to another. This is so because of the transmigration of the soul. This cannot be true of the Buddhist law of Karma.
The law of Karma, says Ambedkar, as enunciated by Buddha simply meant, “reap as you sow”. He was so emphatic about the law of Karma that he maintained that there could be no moral order unless there was a stern observance of the law. Buddha’s law of Karma applied only to Karma and its effect on the present life.
According to Ambedkar, by speaking of the law of Kamma what the Buddha wanted to convey was that effect of the deed was bound to follow the deed, as surely as night follows the day. No one could fail to benefit by the good effects of the good Kamma and no one could escape the evil effect of bad Kamma.