Is Ethical Religion Possible? | ||
| مجله پژوهش های فلسفی | ||
| Volume 18, Issue 48, September 2024, Pages 147-160 PDF (762.21 K) | ||
| Document Type: Research Paper | ||
| DOI: 10.22034/jpiut.2024.61535.3762 | ||
| Author | ||
| Amita Valmiki | ||
| Professor and Head of Department of Philosophy, Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala College of Arts, Science and Commerce, (Empowered Autonomous), [Affiliated to University of Mumbai], Ghatkopar (W), Mumbai, India. | ||
| Abstract | ||
| The paper concentrates on the philosophical discourses of four thinkers – Soren Kierkegaard, M. K. Gandhi, R. D. Ranade and B. R. Ambedkar on Ethics and Religion. Soren Kierkegaard, whose journey in philosophy made him pass through the aesthetic stage to ethical stage and ultimately religious stage landing in the realm of “faith”; where an individual arrives at without any rational commitment. M. K. Gandhi, whose journey in life encompassed politics, economics, and social realms where the underlying paradigm has always been religion. He did not consider ‘truth’ and therefore ‘morality’ as segregated from religion. R. D. Ranade, while mentioning the criteria of mystical experience, very empathetically mentions that a mystic (a saint) has the element of universality, is intellectual, emotional, has the intuitive experience of ‘spiritual realization’ and cannot be devoid of morality. B. R. Ambedkar, instead of accepting Christianity or Islam, consecrated into Buddhism; that befitted Indian contextual situation critiquing the popular Brahmanism, believed that religion must be in amalgamation and consonance with reason and scientific temperament. And this criterion was fulfilled by Buddhism (indeed with other criteria). His adopting Buddhism was more of a political movement rather than spiritual; therefore, his Buddhism in the transformed format, is called Neo-Buddhism. The research article concludes by comparing these masters’ views and ideologies in the context of ‘a possibility of ethical religion’ that has appealed my conscience. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| religion(s); concept of God; faith; subjectivity; intuition; transformation; social emancipation; reformation | ||
| References | ||
|
Akṣapāda. (2019). the Analects of Rumi. Independently Published [ISBN: 781091155688, 1091155682] Ambedkar, B. R. (1989). Writings and Speeches. Vol.5. Government of Maharashtra. Ambedkar, B. R. (2006). Buddha and His Dhamma. Siddhartha Books, Delhi. Blackburn, Anne M. (1993). Religion, Kinship and Buddhism: Ambedkar’s Vision of a Moral Community. The Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies. 16 (1). Coward, H. (1987). Modern Indian Response to Religious Pluralism. SUNY Press. Dalai Lama. (2012). Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World. Toronto - McClelland and Stewart. Datta, D. (2020). Gandhi: Porbandar to Partition. Kolkata, Bee Books. Douglas, A. (Ed.) (2008). The Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi for Twenty-first Century, Lexington Books. Emmanuel, S. M. (1996). Kierkegaard and the Concept of Revelation. State University of New York Press. Fremstedal, Roe. (2022). Kierkegaard on Self, Ethics, and Religion. Cambrodge University Press. Gandhi, M. K. (1934). Harijan. Gandhi Sevak Sangh. Gandhi, M. K. (1919-1931). Young India. Bombay. Hick, J. (1993). Philosophy of Religion. 4th Edition. Prentice-Hall India Private Limited [Indian Reprint]. Khare, R. S. (1993). Indic Culture and Moral Criticism. The Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies. 16(1). Kierkegaard, S. (1992) Either/Or: A Fragment of Life. Penguin Classics. Kripalani, K. (Complied and Ed.). (2011) All Men are Brothers: Autobiographical Reflections, Mahatma Gandhi. Continuum International Publishing Group. Kulkarni, P. (1986). Prof. R. D. Ranade as a Mystic. Nimbal R. S. Mendaglio, S. [Ed.]. (2008). Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration. Great Potential Press, Inc. Murphy, S. (1991). Brief Outline of Gandhi’s Philosophy. From Why Gandhi is Relevant in Modern India: A Western Gandhian Personal Discovery. Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi, Academy of Gandhian Studies, Hyderabad, India. (www.gandhifounation.net) Muzzey, D. S. (1967). Ethics as a Religion. American Ethical Union. Nadkarni, M. V. (2006). Hinduism – A Gandhian Perspective. Ane Book India. Palshikar, S. (2014). Gandhi – Ambedkar Interface. Economic and Political Weekly. Vol. XLIX No. 13, [https://www.epw.in/journal/2014/13/glimpses-past-web-exclusives/gandhi-ambedkar-interface.html] Ranade R. D. (1933 and 1982). Indian Mysticism in Maharashtra. 1st Edition. Poona – 2; and Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. Ramendra. (2010). Why Dr. Ambedkar renounced Hinduism. Patna University. 2 [https://www.roundtableindia.co.in/why-dr-ambedkar-renounced-hinduism/] Rao, K. (1993). Babasaheb Ambedkar. Sahitya Akademi. Sagi, A. & Statman, D. (1995). Religion and Morality. Amsterdam Atlanta, Rodopi. Shepher, K. (2019). Gandhi was not a Caste Abolitionist. The Week Maganize. [https://www.theweek.in/theweek/cover/2019/06/21/gandhi-was-not-a-caste-abolitionist-kancha-ilaiah-shepherd.html] Singh, P. (2023). Dhamma Diksha Divas: Ambedkar’s Conversion to Buddhism and the Impact on Indian Society. The Mooknayak [[https://en.themooknayak.com/india/dhamma-deeksha-divas-ambedkars-conversion-to-buddhism-the-impact-on-indian-society] Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Swenson, D. F. (Trans.) (1941). Concluding Unscientific Postscript, translated by S. Kierkegaard. Princeton, Princeton University Press. Tagore, R. (Trans.) (2022). The Devotional Songs of Kabir Saheb. Introduced by E. Underhill, E-book. Warnock, M. (1979). Existentialism. Oxford University Press. | ||
|
Statistics Article View: 350 PDF Download: 194 |
||