It can puzzle a lot of people why Babasaheb Ambedkar, who acquired the highest possible education in the world existing that time, converted to the ancient religion, Buddhism. The man who wrote fascinating books on Economics fought all his life for civil rights, uphold democracy, and drafted the constitution of India chose ancient religion raises many questions.

To start with, Babasaheb was not a religious man in a sense that he did not believe in the God, he did not believe in the efficacy of the rituals, he did not believe in the authority of the religious books, and he did not believe in the institutional religions.

At times, he used certain language which sounded like the language of religion, but he did not care for religions. However, he recognized the power of religious ideas and their impact on humanity.

When he started his movement to emancipate his people from the shackles of the caste system, he was working out suitable methods to free his people from the slavery imposed on them through the ideas originating from religion. His quest for methods: logical, scientific, and pragmatic methods led him to realise that it is important to deconstruct the religious ideas, and by that implication religious texts. He brought into play his vast knowledge of several disciplines to deconstruct the religious ideas, particularly, in the Brahmanism, that enslaved people generations after generations.

He demonstrated that Brahminical Hinduism stands in direct contrast with the modern values of science and democracy. That present-day India is struck in the religious ideas and anti-democratic ideas bear testimony to that. For any country to advance in the future, it needs self-dignity. Brahminical Hinduism can never make Indians feel dignified and cannot give it a standing in the world. Also, the religion-based views are in direct contrast with science and technology.

Due to this inferiority complex because of the triumph of modern scientific thoughts over the Brahminical ideas, the Indians (particularly, Hindutva nationalists) claim foolishly that India had the surgical methods because there is Ganesha and that they had aeroplanes. This is because of the inferiority complex these myths are invented.

Was there any philosophy or the system of philosophy that could have at least a dialogue with science in India at any time in the past which will make citizens of New India be proud in the modern times?

After a careful study, Babasaheb Ambedkar found that there was a philosophical system that accorded with scientific thinking: this was Buddhism. The very heart of Buddhism which teaches that nothing arises without cause and conditions is the core of scientific methods. The methods to investigate everything and validate them only when they are found valid after a logical process that may or may not involve direct experiments are methods taught by the Buddha.

The Buddha never taught to accept anything a priori. Even formal Buddhism theorised as the four noble truths and a host of lists of methods is also subjected to careful examination. One can study formal Buddhism as a subject and it might be useful, but it is also important to think over, reflect, cogitate over, the formal teachings of the Buddha. Only after this careful exploration and putting them to work, they are realised, directly realised. This threefold approach suggests scientific methods.

Compared to any other methods of inquiry, the scientific methods have revealed secrets of nature which are demonstrated and used universally. Buddhism can also be studied using the methods of science. The methods of investigation science developed are not only useful in studying the physical world but also mind and consciousness.

Buddha developed methods to study our own minds. The recent dialogues between scientific methods and Buddhism is fascinating.

Coming back to India, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar saw in Buddhism something that accords with the scientific method of inquiry and methods that can lead to deep democracy. Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar was the philosopher and practitioner of scientific methods and democracy. No one can deny the value of science and democracy in modern societies unless they are out of their minds. To New India, Babasaheb Ambedkar pointed out that in its own history the methods of science and values were present in the teachings of the Buddha and if Buddhism was not countered with violence, India would have been far advanced and with it, the world would be more peaceful and prosperous today.

Author – Mangesh Dahiwale, Human Rights Activist