The essence of Dharma in Buddhism lies in morality. For Lord Buddha, morality is a separate force which is sustained by social necessities, and not by injunction of religion or God. What God is to other religions, morality is to Buddhism. Clearly, moral thoughts and codes run all through Buddha’s life and teachings.

Not by Birth but Deed

Buddha taught that no human being is more valuable than another based on birth, emphasizing that moral actions, not lineage, define a person. He explicitly said: "Not by birth is one an outcast; not by birth is one a brahman. By deed one becomes an outcast, by deed one becomes a brahman".

Challenging patriarchal structures, Buddha averred that men and women are equally noble and respected, and advocated for women's education, economic independence, and social participation. He recognized the capacity of women to achieve enlightenment and established the order of bhikkhunis (nuns).

There is an inspirational story which shows how Buddha always prioritized individual moral effort over social standing. Once he was traveling with his disciples when he came across Nidhi, a social "untouchable" who was carrying a basket of excrement. Nidhi, seeing the Buddha approaching, panicked and tried to hide behind a wall, causing him to drop his burden in fear. Instead of avoiding him, Buddha approached Nidhi with compassion, asking him to become one of his monks. Nidhi was shocked and confused, stating that he was "filthy" and not worthy to be in the company of monks. Buddha smiled and replied: "My Dharma is like clean water. It can wash the defilements away from anyone and anything. My Dharma is like fire, and it can burn away all ignorance. My Dharma is like the ocean, which can hold anything in it”.

Active Goodwill Through 'Metta'

Through his principles of love and compassion (karuna), Buddha aimed for a harmonious society free from caste, racism, and injustice. The Sangha he established is not just a community of monks but spiritual fraternity, which emphasizes collective unity, social cohesion and shared ethical living. Here, the concept of fraternity is a lived, communal commitment to collective enlightenment and mutual support.

Buddha propounded the practice of universal love or “metta” (maitri in Sanskrit) as an antidote to hatred, anger, and selfishness. Here, he invites one to cultivate a boundless heart towards all living beings. Cultivated through meditation, sending specific, positive wishes to oneself and others, the Buddhists practise loving-kindness, a cultivated mental state of unselfishness, universal benevolence, and active goodwill toward all.

There is a famous story about Buddha’s abundant compassion. Once, while he was traveling with his disciples, he came upon a monastery where a monk was lying severely ill. The monk was suffering from a disease that left him in a miserable condition. Because he was no longer useful to the other monks, they had abandoned him and left him to die in neglect. Buddha, filled with compassion, went to the monk and cleaned him with his own hands, and made him comfortable. After tending to the sick monk, Buddha addressed the other monks, saying: "O monks, whoever wishes to take care of me should take care of the sick”

Liberty is Inner Freedom

For Buddha, liberty is freedom from internal bondage (attachments) rather than freedom to do as one pleases. His teachings define true liberty as freedom from mental defilements - greed, hatred, and delusion -rather than just political freedom. He advocated an autonomous mind, achieved through self-discipline and the Noble Eightfold Path, leading to a state of Nirvana (Nibbāna) or total inner freedom. Rejecting rigid dogma and encouraging intellectual freedom, he even told his followers to have doubts and verify truth.

Once, Buddha was walking with one of his disciples, a young monk, through a dense forest. They had taken strict vows of celibacy, which included not interacting with women. As they reached a fast-flowing river, they saw a young woman crying. She was terrified of the rapid currents and needed to cross to visit her sick mother. The disciple hesitated, remembering his vow, but Buddha picked the woman up, carried her across the strong currents, and set her down safely on the other side. The woman thanked them and left. "Master!" the disciple exclaimed, "We took vows not to be in the company of women. Why did you carry her?" The Buddha laughed and said, "Son, I left the lady at the bank of the river. Why are you still carrying her in your head?" The disciple finally realized that true liberation (liberty) is freeing the mind from attachment, judgment, and emotional burdens.

Lord Buddha was truly a pioneer in advocating equality, fraternity, and liberty. He maintained that a Buddhist should act out of self-awareness, ethical responsibility, understanding and wisdom. By performing good actions with good intentions, a Buddhist can develop his moral strength, which, in turn, can provide a foundation for his spiritual growth. It is no surprise why Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, was so strongly drawn to Buddha’s thoughts, ethics and philosophy.

(The writer is a former Indian banker and adviser, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Views are personal. He can be contacted at rkrishnasinha@hotmail.com)