Buddha and Jaina Dhamma for Peace and Harmony

Abstract

For us to bring peace and harmony to the world, first of all we must get rid of the terms like Buddhism and Jainism. We could trace back the "isms" to Max Weber who tried to label the Dhamma as "heterodox Hinduism" after creating "Hinduism", to pull down the entire Eastern Dhamma to the level of their own revealed "religions". First, let us get rid of the concept of "religion" as given to us by the West. In early historic Asia, there could not have been any "religions" as we know them today. There could have been individual beliefs, and also group participations in rites and rituals, but probably with no labels. The common people would not have been labeled as Buddhists or Jains or even Hindus. Even the ruling elites, or officials, would not have identified themselves as belonging to one particular practice. We find it very clearly in the life and legend of Ashoka. Let us try to convince all human beings of all faiths, that our Dhamma, Buddhist, Jain or Hindu, is a universal truth, which can be accepted by all, without denying or even compromising their own faith and practice. Let us forget all labels, but try to understand the universal truth found in Buddha and Jain Dhamma and thus bring peace and harmony to all life on earth, irrespective of their faith.