Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar: Quotes about religion

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was Father of republic India, champion of human rights, father of India's Constitution, polymath, revolutionary, social reformer and Buddhism revivalist. Explore interesting quotes on religion.
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar: 130 quotes6 likes

“I prefer Buddhism because it gives three principles in combination, which no other religion does. Buddhism teaches prajna (understanding as against superstition and supernaturalism), karuna (love), and samara (equality). This is what man wants for a good and happy life. Neither god nor soul can save society.”

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

In an ""Why I like Buddhism and how it is useful to the world in its present circumstances" BBC (May 1956) http://www.ambedkar.org/Babasaheb/Why.htm

“There can be no doubt that the fall of Buddhism in India was due to the invasions of the Musalmans. Islam came out as the enemy of the ' But'. The word ' But' as everybody knows, is the Arabic word and means an idol. Thus the origin of the word indicates that in the Moslem mind idol worship had come to be identified with the Religion of the Buddha. To the Muslims, they were one and the same thing. The mission to break the idols thus became the mission to destroy Buddhism. Islam destroyed Buddhism not only in India but wherever it went. Before Islam came into being Buddhism was the religion of Bactria, Parthia, Afghanistan, Gandhar, and Chinese Turkestan, as it was of the whole of Asia. In all these countries Islam destroyed Buddhism.”

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

"The Decline and Fall of Buddhism", in Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol. III (1987), Government of Maharashtr­a, p. 229 https://books.google.com/books?id=18W1AAAAIAAJ&q=%22the+mission+to+destroy+Buddhism.+Islam+destroyed+Buddhism+not+only+in+India+but+%22&dq=%22the+mission+to+destroy+Buddhism.+Islam+destroyed+Buddhism+not+only+in+India+but+%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiCrd-YwL7LAhUGbj4KHVa2DekQ6AEIIzAB

“Summarizing the evidence relating to the slaughter of the Buddhist Monks perpetrated by the Musalman General in the course of his invasion of Bihar in 1197 AD, Mr. Vincent Smith says, "…. Great quantities of plunder were obtained, and the slaughter of the 'shaven headed Brahmans', that is to say the Buddhist monks, was so thoroughly completed, that when the victor sought for someone capable of explaining the contents of the books in the libraries of the monasteries, not a living man could be found who was able to read them. 'It was discovered,' we are told, 'that the whole of that fortress and city was a college, and in the Hindi tongue they call a college Bihar.' " Such was the slaughter of the Buddhist priesthood perpetrated by the Islamic invaders. The axe was struck at the very root. For by killing the Buddhist priesthood, Islam killed Buddhism. This was the greatest disaster that befell the religion of the Buddha in India.”

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

"The Decline and Fall of Buddhism", in Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, Vol. III (1987), Government of Maharashtr­a, p. 229-388

“Indians today are governed by different ideologies. Their political ideal set in the Preamble of the Constitution affirms a life of liberty, equality and fraternity. Their social ideal embodied in their religion denies them.”

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

Political Science for Civil Services Main Examination (2010)

“Religion must mainly be a matter of principles only. It cannot be a matter of rules. The moment it degenerates into rules, it ceases to be a religion, as it kills responsibility which is an essence of the true religious act.”

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

Radical Equality: Ambedkar, Gandhi, and the Risk of Democracy https://books.google.co.in/books?id=K3c-CQAAQBAJ&pg=PA303&lpg=PA303&dq=Religion+must+mainly+be+a+matter+of+principles+only.+It+cannot+be+a+matter+of+rules.+The+moment+it+degenerates+into+rules,+it+ceases+to+be+a+religion,&source=bl&ots=Z580zN8EaN&sig=pw39zHdZTHfmGbLTLRRVLNX-WwA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CC4Q6AEwA2oVChMIxLm9qfeSyAIViAuOCh2Phg9p#v=onepage&q=Religion%20must%20mainly%20be%20a%20matter%20of%20principles%20only.%20It%20cannot%20be%20a%20matter%20of%20rules.%20The%20moment%20it%20degenerates%20into%20rules%2C%20it%20ceases%20to%20be%20a%20religion%2C&f=false

“If the depressed classes join Islam or Christianity, they not only go out of the Hindu religion, but they also go out of the Hindu culture…What the consequences of conversion will do to the country as a whole is well worth bearing in mind. Conversion to Islam or Christianity will denationalize the depressed classes.”

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

quoted in Dhanajay Keer: 'Dr Ambedkar: Life and Mission', p.279).

“The Frontier tribesmen are acutely sensitive to the appeal of religion and when a well-known Mullah started to preach against the Hindus…, his words fell on fruitful ground. He called upon the Afridis and Shinwaris to expel all the Hindus living in their midst unless they declared in writing that they dissociated themselves from the doings of their co-religionists down country…. This expulsion and voluntary exodus from tribal territory were without parallel. Hindus had lived there for more generations than most of them could record as valued and respected, and, indeed, as essential members of the tribal system, for whose protection the tribesmen had been jealous, and whose blood feuds they commonly made their own.”

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

Source: Pakistan or The Partition of India (1946), Chapter 7

“There is no place for an individual in Hindu society. The Hindu religion is constituted on the class concept. The Hindu religion does not teach as to how an individual should behave with another individual.”

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

As quoted in http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/txt_ambedkar_salvation.html

“The principle of equality as taught in Christianity and Islam has no concern whatsoever with knowledge, wealth, or dress, as outward aspects. Both these religions consider a sense of humanity as the mean feature of religion. They preach that the sense of humanity should be respected by all; and none should disrespect others, none should treat others as unequals. These teachings are completely wanting in the Hindu religion. What is the use of such a religion, in which man's sense of humanity has no value? And what is the good in clinging to it?”

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

As quoted in http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/txt_ambedkar_salvation.html

“In the Hindu religion, one can[not] have freedom of speech. A Hindu must surrender his freedom of speech. He must act according to the Vedas. If the Vedas do not support the actions, instructions must be sought from the Smritis, and if the Smritis fail to provide any such instructions, he must follow in the footsteps of the great men.He is not supposed to reason. Hence, so long as you are in the Hindu religion, you cannot expect to have freedom of thought”

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

As quoted in http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/txt_ambedkar_salvation.html

“You must not only discard the Shastras, you must deny their authority, as did Buddha and Nanak. You must have courage to tell the Hindus that what is wrong with them is their religion—the religion which has produced in them this notion of the sacredness of Caste. Will you show that courage?”

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

quoted in Annihilation of Caste