By Ari Pliskin

Preparing for the Socially Engaged Pilgrimage in India, I asked Shantum to review the newsletter we were preparing.  Though he is a devout Buddhist who lived with and was introduced to Buddhism by downtrodden Indian Buddhists in Uttar Pradesh, he warned us against overly simplifying the situation. Though there is definitely a revolutionary role played by Ambedkarite Buddhism in liberating “untouchables”, Shantum explained, it stems primarily from a social and political base rather a Dharmic one. In fact, there is more of an emphasis on ‘equality’ than ‘liberation’. Dalits form the bottom rung of the oppressive Hindu caste system.  There are many nuances that complicate this story:

  1. Buddhism isn’t totally free of social distinctions.  While proclaiming castelessness, some Buddhists still marry according to caste expectations, just like Hindus.
  2. There are many stratifications based on sub-castes amongst the Dalits.
  3. There are reformist Hindus who reject the caste system.
  4. Dalit is just one self-identification by people who are considered “untouchable”.
  5. Dalits or “untouchables” are actually considered to be outside of the caste system altogether.  They are “outcastes”.
  6. In terms of socio-economic status, Dalits aren’t  the worst treated group in India.  Muslims are treated worse than Dalits and “tribal” peoples, even worse than Muslims.
  7. Because of benefits of affirmative action policy, some people seek fake identification as Dalits in order to illegitimately reap the benefits.
  8. Though many Dalits venerate Ambedkar (a Buddhist) and loathe Gandhi (a Hindu), Ambedkar and Gandhi respected each other and sometimes praised the other. They both worked to eradicate the curse of untouchability, but had different means, to achieve this end.
  9. Ambekar’s second wife (after the first died) was a Brahmin (the ‘highest’ caste) woman who converted to Buddhism at the same time as Ambedkar.
  10. There are many prominent Dalits, including a former president, former Chief Justice of the Supreme court, and the Chief Ministers of important states such as Uttar Pradesh.

All this is not to say that Dalits haven’t faced discrimination and that Ambedkarite Buddhism hasn’t helped them.  It’s just that the more you know, the more complicated things get.  As Charlie says “go figure”.

 

2 Responses

  1. Hi Shantum Seth,

    Regarding your statement – “Though there is definitely a revolutionary role played by Ambedkarite Buddhism in liberating “untouchables”, Shantum explained, it stems primarily from a social and political base rather a Dharmic one. In fact, there is more of an emphasis on ‘equality’ than ‘liberation ” –

    Yes, there is an emphasis on ‘equality’ rather than liberation, but equality is a fundamental right that has not been given to those in the Dalit community in India due to the cruel caste system in Hindu society. They were not even allowed to learn for thousands of years. Without equality in society, how can one person liberate themselves? How can one practice Dhamma? Ambedkar helped us to establish the foundation to practice Dhamma. The teachings of equality given by Ambedkar were very much needed for the poor and uneducated Dalits at the time of Ambedkar. Many of them did not even know the value of equality then, and some Dalits still don’t understand it today. There is a famous quote by Buddha to Bhikku, and the same quote was spoken by Ambedkar in 1956 during the Dhamma Diksha day, as shown below. I hope you understand Ambedkar’s mentality in giving such talks to inspire people to break free from the Hindu caste system and follow Buddha’s teachings

    23 == Buddha’s message on equality
    In the Buddhist religion, 75% of the Bhikkhus were Brahmin; 25% were Shudra and others. But Bhagvan said, “O Bhikkhus, you have come from different countries and castes. Rivers flow separately in their own countries, but do not remain distinct when they meet in the sea. They become one and the same. The Buddhist brotherhood of monks is like the sea. In this Sangha all are equal. It is impossible to know Ganga water from Mahandi water after both have merged in the sea. In that way, after coming into the Buddhist Sangha, your caste goes, and all people are equal. Only one great man spoke of equality, and that great man is Bhagvan Buddha.

    Regarding – ” There are reformist Hindus who reject the caste system ” – If you are not supporting caste system –

    Yes, I agree. I hope that one day those reformers and true followers of Dhamma will also reject their surnames, which inherently reveal their caste identity.

    Regarding – Though many Dalits venerate Ambedkar (a Buddhist) and loathe Gandhi (a Hindu), Ambedkar and Gandhi respected each other and sometimes praised the other. They both worked to eradicate the curse of untouchability, but had different means, to achieve this end

    Gandhi supported the cruel caste system; he aimed to eliminate untouchability but not the caste system itself. I request you to watch Ambedkar’s speech on Gandhi at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf3VJCpNMqI.

    Regarding There are many prominent Dalits, including a former president, former Chief Justice of the Supreme court, and the Chief Ministers of important states such as Uttar Pradesh. –

    Yes, there are many Dalits now due to Ambedkar’s efforts, but still, over 90% of major jobs in our country are led by upper-caste Hindus.

    Thank you for your thoughts on our current situation. I hope Indian Buddhists will one day work together to spread genuine love without any kind of discrimination in mind. I hope you will embrace Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings on love and kindness for all beings in this life and continue spreading genuine love for all.

  2. Hi Shantum Seth,

    Thank you for your insightful perspectives. After watching some of your videos on YouTube, I expected you to acknowledge Ambedkar’s endeavors to promote equality in India, not only for Dalits and women but for the entire nation. However, your words seem to lean towards supporting the caste system in Buddhism. I would like to draw your attention to the complexity of the world, where issues go beyond the narratives of untouchables. I believe a deeper understanding could be gained by empathizing with the experiences of untouchables, particularly in response to your remark: “In terms of socio-economic status, Dalits aren’t the worst-treated group in India. Muslims are treated worse than Dalits and ‘tribal’ peoples, even worse than Muslims.”

    Concerning your statement about people falsely identifying as Dalits to exploit affirmative action benefits, it’s true that individuals in any society find ways to gain advantages. However, this fact doesn’t negate the intricate nature of Dalit or untouchable identity.

    In reference to your statement about Ambedkar’s second wife being a Brahmin who converted to Buddhism, it’s important to note that one becomes a Brahmin based on virtue, not by birth. I encourage you to delve deeper into these concepts through the teachings of Buddha, which you can find in the sutta at https://suttacentral.net/mn93/en/sujato?layout=plain&reference=none&notes=asterisk&highlight=false&script=latin.

    Thank you for contributing to the complexity of the struggle for the Untouchables. Your efforts strengthen us and help us comprehend the world better. I hope you will grasp Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings on love and kindness for all beings in this life and continue spreading genuine love for all.

    Thank you.”

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