Vol. 11 · pages 346–350

PART II How Similarities in Terminology Conceal Fundamental Difference Section I—Rebirth 1. Preliminary. 2. Rebirth of What ? 3. Rebirth of Whom ? Section II—Karma 1. Is the Buddhist doctrine of Karma the same as the Brahminic doctrine ? 2. Did the Buddha believe in past Karma having effect on future life ? 3. Did the Buddha believe in past Karma having effect on future life ?—concluded. Section III—Ahimsa 1. The different ways in which it is interpreted and followed. 2. The true meaning of Ahimsa. Section IV—Transmigration Section V—Causes of his Misunderstandings

329 HOW SIMILARITIES IN TERMINOLOGY CONCEAL FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE IV SECTION I REBIRTH § 1. Preliminary 1. What happens after death is a question often asked. 2. The contemporaries of the Buddha held two different views. One set was called Eternalist and the other was called Annihilationist. 3. The Eternalist said that the soul knows no death: therefore life is eternal. It is renewed by rebirth. 4. The thesis of the Annihilationists was summed up in one word, Ucchedvad, which meant that death is the end of everything. There is nothing left after death. 5. The Buddha was not an eternalist. For it involved a belief in the existence of a separate, immortal soul to which he was opposed. 6. Was the Buddha an annihilationist? With his belief in the non-existence of the soul, the Buddha would naturally be expected to be an annihilationist. 7. But in the Alagaddupamma-Sutta the Buddha complains that he is called an annihilationist when as a matter of fact he is not. 8. This is what he says : “Though this is what I affirm and what I preach yet some recluses and Brahmins, wrongly, erroneously and falsely charge me in defiance of facts, with being an annihilationist and with preaching the disintegration, destruction and extirpation of human beings. 9. “It is just what I am not, and what I do not affirm, that is wrongly, erroneously, and falsely charged against me by these good people who would make me out to be an annihilationist.” 10. If this statement is a genuine one and is not an interpolation by those who wanted to foist a Brahmanic doctrine on Buddhism the statement raises a serious dilemma 11. How can the Buddha not believe in the existence of the soul and yet say that he is not an annihilationist ?

330 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES IV 12. This raises the question : Did the Buddha believe in rebirth ? § 2. Rebirth of What ? 1. Did the Buddha believe in rebirth ? 2. The answer is in the affirmative. 3. It is better to split this question further into two parts : (1) Rebirth of What and (2) Rebirth of Whom. 4. It is better to take each one of these two questions separately. 5. Here we may consider the first, Rebirth of What. 6. This question is almost always ignored. It is because of the mixing of the two questions that so much confusion has arisen. 7. According to the Buddha there are four elements of Existence which go to compose the body. They are (1) Prithvi ; (2) Apa ; (3) Tej ; and (4) Vayu. 8. Question is when the human body dies what happens to these four elements? Do they also die along with dead body ? Some say that they do. 9. The Buddha said no. They join the mass of similar elements floating in (Akash) space. 10. When the four elements from this floating mass join together a new birth takes place. 11. This is what the Buddha meant by rebirth. 12. The elements need not and are not necessarily from the same body which is dead. They may be drawn from different dead bodies. 13. It must be noted that the body dies. But the elements are ever living. 14. This is the kind of rebirth in which the Buddha believed. 15. Great light is thrown upon the subject by Sariputta in his dialogue with Maha-Kotthita. 16. It is said that once when the Lord was staying at Shravasti in Jeta’s Grove in Anathapindika’s Aram, the Maha-Kotthita rising up at even-tide from his meditations, went to Sariputta and asked him to elucidate some of the questions which troubled him.

331 HOW SIMILARITIES IN TERMINOLOGY CONCEAL FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE IV 17. The following was one of them. 18. Maha-Kotthita asked : “How many factors has the first ecstasy (Dhyana) put from it and how many does it retain ?” 19. Sariputta replied: “Five of each. Gone are lusts, malevolence, torpor, worry and doubt. Observation, reflection, zest, satisfaction and a focussed heart persist.” 20. Maha-Kotthita asked : “Take the five senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch,—each with its own particular province and range of function, separate and mutually distinct. What ultimate base have they ? Who enjoys all their five provinces and ranges?” 21. Sariputta replied: “Mind (Mano).” 22. Maha-Kotthita asked : “On what do these five faculties of sense depend ?” 23. Sariputta replied : “On vitality.” 24. Maha-Kotthita asked : “On what does vitality depend ? 25. Sariputta : “On heat.” 26. Maha-Kotthita asked : “On what does heat depend ?” 27. Sariputta replied : “On vitality.” 28. Maha-Kotthita asked : “You say that vitality depends on heat, you also say that heat depends on vitality ! What precisely is the meaning to be attached to this ?” 29. Sariputta replied : “I will give you an illustration. Just as in the case of a lamp, the light reveals the flame and the flame the light, so vitality depends upon heat and heat on vitality. 30. Maha-Kotthita asked : “How many things must quit the body before it is flung aside and cast away like a senseless log ?” 31. Sariputta answered: “Vitality, heat and consciousness.” 32. Maha-Kotthita asked : “What is the difference between a lifeless corpse and an almsman in trance, in whom perception and feelings are stilled?” 33. Sariputta replied : “In the corpse not only