Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c12.s3.55

v1.c12.s3.55

Buddhism had in it a large element of catholic spirit which appealed to even the members of other religions. To attack another religion as a whole was never sanctioned by Buddhism.¹ Buddha had to recruit his converts from other religions; he never disparaged any particular religion to which any of them might have belonged, though of course, he showed at times that particular doctrines were wrong and unworthy of being followed. He held the view that the Buddhists should make gifts to the deserving members of all other religious orders and not to the Buddhists alone.² He permitted a Jaina house-holder after his conversion to Buddhism to continue his charity to the Jaina monks winning thereby the admiration of the members of other sects.³ In the *Majjhima Nikāya* it is pointed out that an ascetic though an Ājīvika but being a *kammavādin* would be reborn in heaven. The Brāhmaṇas who led a truly moral life were highly respected by the Buddhists. The spirit of toleration was no doubt a prevailing feature of the religious life of India and it was particularly so among the followers of Buddha, the teacher of *mettā* and *karuṇā*.