The Theory and Practice of Social Revolution in Early Buddhism

The book is organized into six chapters. The first chapter examines the historical conditions of early Buddhism, including the formation of the Nikāya tradition, the geographical and material environment of North-East India, the development of the Gangetic civilization, caste and class structures, Brahmanas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, Śūdras, and the socio-economic forces that shaped the Buddha’s time. The second chapter studies the ideological environment that propelled Buddhism, focusing on Brahmanical, social, religious, and philosophical conditions against which the Buddha’s teaching emerged. The third chapter presents causality as the central philosophy of Buddhist revolution, especially dependent origination as the foundation for understanding both individual suffering and social conflict. The fourth chapter argues that Buddhism goes beyond materialism and idealism by treating human existence as psycho-physical and society as shaped by both material and mental conditions. The fifth chapter analyzes the community of the Sangha as the ideal model of social revolution, emphasizing equality, common property, discipline, non-discrimination, and governance by Dhamma and Vinaya. The sixth chapter explains the social revolution proposed in early Buddhism, including Buddhist approaches to caste, class, economy, political order, kingship, moral administration, social harmony, and the ideal of Dhamma-based transformation.