z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 04.indd MK SJ+YS 5 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 215
| Col1 | HIS PLACE IN HIS DHAMMA 215 |
|---|---|
| BOOK III | |
ยง 1. The Buddha claimed no place for Himself in His own Dhamma
Christ claimed to be the Prophet of Christianity.
He further claimed that he was the Son of God.
Christ also laid down the condition that there was no salvation for a person unless he accepted that Christ was the Son of God.
Thus Christ secured a place for Himself by making the salvation of the Christian depend upon his acceptance of Christ as the Prophet and Son of God.
Mohammad, the Prophet of Islam, claimed that he was a Prophet sent by God.
He further claimed that no one could get salvation unless he accepted two other conditions.
A seeker of salvation in Islam must accept that Mohammad is the Prophet of God.
A seeker after salvation in Islam must further accept that he is the last prophet.
Salvation in Islam is thus ensured only to those who accept these two conditions.
Mohammad thus secured a place for Himself by making the salvation of the Muslim depend upon his acknowledgment of Mohammad as the Prophet of God.
No such condition was ever made by the Buddha.
He claimed that he was no more than the natural son of Suddhodana and Mahamaya.
He carved for himself no place in his religion by laying down any such conditions regarding himself for salvation as Jesus and Mahommad did.
That is the reason why we are left to know so little about himself even though abundant material was available.
As is known, the first Buddhist congregation
III