INFLUENCE OF BUDDHISM ON THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA

Buddhism is more of a philosophy than a religion and not merely the teachings of Buddha. Buddhist philosophy has shaped the human approach and rational perspective of laws. It is said that the Constitution of India has been borrowed from the best of the laws of the world. However, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and his team in the legislative assembly were already imbued in the jurisprudence of the East. Recalling that Dr. B. R. Ambedkar was himself a Buddhist may not be out of context. Hence, an introspection into the philosophy of Buddhism and Hinduism would have been enough to evolve the Constitution of India. Thus, from the fundamental rights, fundamental duties, and directive principles of the State Policy it could have been located in the philosophies of Buddha. In this context, Buddhist Jurisprudence becomes relevant and its influence on the Constitution of India is to be studied to reflect that India had the necessary jurisprudential foundation to create a Constitution of its own without borrowing from others.