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316 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
IV
a soul and the soul is eternal and is answerable to God for man’s actions in the world.
This is, in short, the evolution of the concept of Religion.
This is what Religion has come to be and this is what it connotes—belief in God, belief in soul, worship of God, curing of the erring soul, propitiating God by prayers, ceremonies, sacrifices, etc.
§ 2. How Dhamma Differs From Religion
What the Buddha calls Dhamma differs fundamentally from what is called Religion.
What the Buddha calls Dhamma is analogous to what the European theologians call Religion.
But there is no greater affinity between the two. On the other hand, the differences between the two are very great.
On this account some European theologians refuse to recognize the Buddha’s Dhamma as Religion.
There need be no regrets over this. The loss is theirs. It does no harm to the Buddha’s Dhamma. Rather, it shows what is wanting in Religion.
Instead of entering into this controversy it is better to proceed to give an idea of Dhamma and show how it differs from Religion.
Religion, it is said, is personal and one must keep it to oneself. One must not let it play its part in public life.
Contrary to this, Dhamma is social. It is fundamentally and essentially so.
Dhamma is righteousness, which means right relations between man and man in all spheres of life.
From this it is evident that one man if he is alone does not need Dhamma.
But when there are two men living in relation to each other they must find a place for Dhamma whether they like it or not. Neither can escape it.
In other words, Society cannot do without Dhamma.