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We may take the term ‘freedom’ in two senses. One, in its transcendental or metaphysical sense (paramarthika artha) and the other in its empirical sense (vyavaharika artha). In its transcendental sense the term means generally the freedom of the human soul. Although in Buddhsim it is not spoken of as the liberation of the human soul, yet its meaning is transcendental.

 In the empirical sense of the term it means generally economic, social, political, religious etc. freedom. It is something like the economic or ethical freedom as advocated by the Carvakas or socio-economic freedom as advocated by Marx.

 There are many synonyms of the word ‘freedom’ like liberation, liberty, release, deliverance, salvation, redemption, moksa, mukti, nirvana, kaivalya etc. Although these words are generally used in the sense of freedom yet there are slight variation in there imports.

 The English word liberation comes form the Latin word ‘liberalitateous’ or the French word ‘liberalis’ which again comes from Latin ‘liber’. This word has no religious or transcendental import. However ‘Liberal Society’ means a definite society ‘advocating church disestablishment’.

 We generally used the term ‘liberation’ in the political sense, such as ‘the liberation of Europe by Allied troops’. It sometimes also means individual liberation such as ‘liberation of a woman from repulsive wedlock’ as in the case of a divorce.

The term ‘liberty’ means ‘freedom from the captivity, slavery, or oppressive control’. It also means ‘right or power to do as one choose’. It may means ‘right or privilege granted by authority’. We speak of natural liberty, civil liberty, liberty of press etc. Natural liberty means a ‘state in which there are no laws’; civil liberty of conscience means a state limited ‘by laws established on behalf of community’; liberty of conscience means a ‘system allowing all member of State to follow what from of religion seems good to them’; liberty of press means a ‘system by which anyone may print and publish what he pleases without previous permission’. In the philosophical sense it means ‘freedom from control of fate or necessity’. From this meaning we have a view viz. ‘libertarianism’ which is opposed to determinism and holds ‘that certain human actions are not governed by necessitating causal laws’.

 All these meanings indicate the empirical import of the term ‘freedom’ as earlier stated. Salvation is a term which is keenly connected with the human soul and God. It generally means ‘Saving of the soul’. It also means ‘deliverance from sin and its consequences’: admission to heaven brought about by Christ’. Sometimes salvation means conversion also. We have a use of a term like ‘Salvation Army’ which means ‘an organisation on military model for revival of religion among the masses’. The members of this army wear military-style uniforms. Thus the meaning of salvation quite stand for the metaphysical import of freedom as earlier stated.

 The word ‘redemption’ is mostly synonymous with salvation with salvation, because it also like salvation means ‘the deliverance from sin and damnation wrought by Christ’s atonement’.                

by:

Dr. Girish Baruah