This
paper argues that the construction of the notion of justice vary with the way
otherness is constructed. It argues for an inclusive notion of justice and
shifting from constitutional normative construction of otherness to the
construction of otherness within the civilizational ethical-existential values
of Kshama (forgiveness), Karuna (compassion) and Atma Gyan (knowledge of
spiritual self) drawn from Buddhism.
Drawing
on the feminist discussion on ‘subtle invisibilization as injustice’ it is
argued that the diverse epistemes present in the critical vernaculars and the
colloquial traditions within India, that have been invisibilised by dominant
discourse need to made available for a political discourse on justice.
It
bring on board the works of four thinkers Anagarika Dharmapala (1873-1933),
Dharmanand Kosambi(1876-1947), Ananda K Coomaraswamy (1877-1947) and Rahul
Sankrityayan (1893-1963) all who dynamically drew from Buddhism in the late
19th Century and early 20th Century. They initiated the discourse of dignity
and self worth based through the life and teaching of the Buddha, invoked as an
Exemplar. This discourse preceded Navayana Buddhism as espoused by Dr B R
Ambedkar.
These
responses were invisibilised as ‘revivalist’ by the oriental and nationalist
discourse. The category revivalist positioned Buddhism within the limits of
historical time. When in fact it was concerned with the ‘return’ of
ethical-existential values to guide a nation cleavaged and marred with
inequalities and injustices within civilizational/ discursive formation. These
thinkers worked extensively in bringing to the masses the different hues of
Buddhism and its varied interpretations.
This
has been done with the history of ideas methodology which attempts an
overcoming invisibilisation, move beyond the western imagination and emerge out
of the frames of oriental. This has been undertaken to clear the ground for
discussion on a different idea of India
Biographical
Details:
Priyanka
teaches Political science in School of Undergraduate Studies at Ambedkar
University in Delhi. She is presently a Junior fellow at the Max Weber Centre
of Advanced Cultural and Social Studies, University of Erfurt, Germany as part
of “Religious Individualisation in historical perspective’ whereby she is
working on Buddhism and making of idea of India. She is interested in doing
history of ideas and Political thought
and theory.
