The Buddha and His Dhamma

This work presents the life and teaching of the Buddha through Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s distinctive rational, ethical, and social interpretation. Rather than treating Buddhism as a religion of metaphysical belief, ritual observance, or passive renunciation, Ambedkar redefines the Buddha’s Dhamma as a practical doctrine of human liberation grounded in reason, morality, compassion, and social responsibility. The narrative begins with Siddhartha Gautama’s historical and social background, emphasizing his early sensitivity to suffering, exploitation, violence, inequality, and the moral contradictions of the society into which he was born. His renunciation is therefore presented not merely as a personal spiritual withdrawal, but as a conscious search for a new path capable of addressing human suffering at both individual and collective levels. The text gives sustained attention to the Buddha’s enlightenment, his rejection of speculative and ritualistic religion, and his formulation of Dhamma as a path concerned with right conduct, wisdom, welfare, and the reconstruction of society. Ambedkar highlights the Buddha’s opposition to blind faith, priestly authority, caste hierarchy, soul-theory, sacrificial religion, and social exclusion. At the same time, he portrays the Buddha as a teacher who placed human dignity, ethical effort, and social harmony at the center of spiritual life. A major concern of the work is the social mission of Buddhism. The Buddha’s teaching activity is shown through his engagement with ascetics, rulers, householders, women, the poor, the marginalized, and those considered morally fallen by society. The Sangha is interpreted not only as a monastic institution but also as an ethical community intended to preserve, embody, and disseminate Dhamma. Ambedkar pays special attention to the Bhikkhu’s responsibility as a moral guide and social servant, and to the relationship between the monastic community and the laity. The book also distinguishes sharply between “religion” and “Dhamma.” For Ambedkar, religion often depends on belief in God, soul, ritual, sacrifice, and supernatural authority, whereas Dhamma is a rational and moral order directed toward liberty, equality, fraternity, justice, and human welfare. In this sense, Buddha and His Dhamma is both a reconstruction of Buddhist doctrine and a program for social transformation. It presents Buddhism as a living path for moral cultivation, social emancipation, and the creation of a just human community.