In this magisterial study of the social alan of early Buddhism, nalin swaris argues that the radical thrust of the Buddha's teaching is based on his realisation that the individual is a fiction of human craving. The Buddha's decision to found a community of compassion and sharing was the practical expression of his conviction that individualism is the principal obstacle to human happiness. The Buddha's way was not discovered and preached in a social vacuum. Orthodox Hinduism classifies its sacred traditions into srutis (sacred truths of the vedas heard by ancient rishis while in a trance) and smritis (codes of conduct). In deliberate counterpoint to the Brahman tradition, the majority of the Buddha's discourses begin with the declaration: evam me sutam thus have i heard...' swaris argues persuasively that Buddha's teachings are not esoteric, but grounded in everyday life. The dhamma is not a revealed truth that humans could not have discovered by themselves. It is like a light brought into a darkened room so that people could see what is already there, once the fog of delusion is dispelled. |
