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RELIGION AND DHAMMA
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Society has to choose one of the three alternatives.
Society may choose not to have any Dhamma, as an instrument of Government. For Dhamma is nothing if it is not an instrument of Government.
This means Society chooses the road to anarchy.
Secondly, Society may choose the police, i.e., dictatorship as an instrument of Government.
Thirdly, Society may choose Dhamma plus the Magistrate wherever people fail to observe the Dhamma.
In anarchy and dictatorship liberty is lost.
Only in the third liberty survives.
Those who want liberty must therefore have Dhamma.
Now what is Dhamma ? and why is Dhamma necessary ? According to the Buddha, Dhamma consists of Prajna and Karuna.
What is Prajna ? And why Prajna ? Prajna is understanding. The Buddha made Prajna one of the two corner-stones of His Dhamma because he did not wish to leave any room for superstition.
What is Karuna? And why Karuna? Karuna is love. Because, without it Society can neither live nor grow, that is why the Buddha made it the second corner-stone of His Dhamma.
Such is the definition of the Buddha’s Dhamma.
How different is this definition of Dhamma from that of Religion.
So ancient, yet so modern is the definition of Dhamma given by the Buddha.
So aboriginal yet so original.
Not borrowed from anyone, yet so true.
A unique amalgam of Pradnya and Karuna is the Dhamma of the Buddha.
Such is the difference between Religion and Dhamma.
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