Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

86
against the fundamentals of the caste ideology, could arise out of the
orthodox creeds, because that would negate Orthodoxy. The Buddhists
and the Radical Bhaktas were not bound down to the caste ideology,
but both shared, in varying degrees, the quietist approach to life. M.
Hiriyana writes, ‘These are the two elements common to all Indian
thought — the pursuit of Moksa as the final ideal and the ascetic
spirit of the discipline recommended for its achievement.’ 1 Both these
elements implied a negative view of life. The dominant refrain of the
Indian religions was that the world was unreal or a place of suffering.
Life was a bondage from which release had to be obtained by cutting
oneself away, as far as possible, from the world of activity and resorting
to meditational or ascetic practices. From the socialogical point of
view, this approach to life was pessimistic, individualistic and antisocial.
Pessimism was such a prominent feature that the Greeks noted
that ‘Death is with them (Brahmans) a very frequent subject of
discourse. ’1a In the case of the orthodox schools, this view of life was
further compounded by the paramount consideration of preserving
the caste order. Lord Krishna is the only prominent Indian prophet
who propounded the philosophy of Karma (activity) in the
Bhagavadgita, but in the same text he is said to be the author of Varna
Ashrama Dharma. Therefore, this Karma, in its application, meant
nothing beyond the performance of ritualistic duties, as in the Vedic
religion, or of the prescribed caste duties as advocated by the orthodoxy.
All activity had strictly to be within the orbit of the caste structure.
Similarly, although Mahayana Buddhists took a prominent part
in alleviating human suffering, they were inhibited from tackling
political problems by their adherence to the doctrine of Ahimsa (nonviolence)
and by their regarding the world as a place of suffering. ‘It is
well known how Buddhism turned into peaceful nomads the Mongolian
hordes, who in the 13 th century devastated the whole of Iran, Western
Asia, and south-eastern Europe. ’1b Buddhism eschewed the use of force
for any purpose whatsoever, and gave the doctrine of Ahimsa a
prominent place in its scheme of religious propaganda. In Jainism the
application of this principle covered even the smallest of living beings.
Later on, Brahmanism also partly accepted this approach. The