Issue: September, 2024
Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumoured by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.
– Tathagath Gautam Buddha-
Buddha’s bone fragments sent from India to Thailand
by Bheem Patrika Correspondent
Buddha’s bone fragments sent from India to Thailand; sacred relics to be treated as ‘state guest’ Apart from the Kapilavastu relics, the relics of two of Buddha’s disciples, Arahata Sariputra and Arahata Maudgalayana.
The culture ministry said the relics will be accorded the dignity of a state guest, with an Indian Air Force aircraft and prayer ceremonies. Six monks will travel with the delegation.
The relics will journey to Thailand on February 22, and will be returned to India on March 19. In Thailand, the relics will go through a period of quarantine at the National Museum, Bangkok after which it will be displayed at Bangkok’s Sanam Luang Pavillion for 11 days. After that, the relics will be displayed at Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, and finally at Krabi, with the schedule earmarking 5 days at each of the three venues.
Kapilavastu Relics (circa 5th-4th century BC) from Piprahwa, Uttar Pradesh.Credit: National Museum, New Delhi
(हिन्दी अनुवाद))
बुद्ध की अस्थियों के टुकड़े भारत से थाईलैंड भेजे गएI
भारत से थाईलैंड भेजे जाएंगे बुद्ध की अस्थि के टुकड़े पवित्र अवशेषों को ‘राज्य अतिथि’ के रूप में माना जाएगा कपिलवस्तु के अवशेषों के अलावा, बुद्ध के दो शिष्यों, अरहत सारिपुत्र और अरहत मौदगलायन के अवशेष.
संस्कृति मंत्रालय ने कहा कि अवशेषों को भारतीय वायु सेना के विमान और प्रार्थना समारोह के साथ एक राज्य अतिथि की गरिमा दी जाएगी। प्रतिनिधिमंडल के साथ छह भिक्षु यात्रा करेंगे.
अवशेष 22 फरवरी को थाईलैंड जाएंगे, और 19 मार्च को भारत वापस आ जाएंगे। थाईलैंड में, अवशेष राष्ट्रीय संग्रहालय, बैंकॉक में संगरोध की अवधि से गुजरेंगे जिसके बाद इसे बैंकॉक के सनम लुआंग पैविलियन में प्रदर्शित किया जाएगा। 11 दिन. उसके बाद, अवशेषों को चियांग माई, उबोन रतचथानी और अंत में क्राबी में प्रदर्शित किया जाएगा, जिसमें तीनों स्थानों में से प्रत्येक के लिए 5 दिन निर्धारित किए जाएंगे।
(हिंदी अनुवाद श्री बी.आर. भारद्वाज द्वारा)
Albert Einstein on Buddhism
The religion of the future will be a Cosmic religion…..covering both the natural and the spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense rising from the experimental of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity; Buddhism answer this description.
Entrance of Buddha Bhoomi in ordinary homes
Rabindranath Tagore talked of Buddhism. For Tagore, the teaching of the Buddha inspired a great sense of universality and were of tremendous relevance to what he saw as the modern malaise of greed, corruption, and wealth. Buddhist stories and themes permeated his writings. This included his popular collection of poem, Katha (1900) and the drama Acalayatan (1912) inspired by the Divyavadana, to his late-period dance dramas, Shapmocan(1931) and Shyama(1939) based on stories from the Mahavasta Avadana . For many Indians, particularly Bengalis, the Tagore were the pride of the land, and when Rabindranath and others talked of Buddhism with either the paintbrush or the pen, the nation listened. Their depictions, literary and visual, were mass produced in their tens of thousands by lithographic printers and then distributed through bazars. Like this, the ancient spaces of Buddha Bhoomi entered ordinary homes and businesses, guiding modern India`s Buddhist place -making. (Douglas Ober (2023), Dust on the Throne: The Search for Buddhism in Modern India, Stanford University Press, Stanford California, p.146.
In the history of Buddhism, after Gautama Buddha, we came to know about prominent Buddhist saints and scholars from South India who devoted their life for the spread of Buddhism. Some of them are listed below:
Dharmapala
Dharmapala from Tamil Nadu lived in the sixth century AD, and was a native of the city of Tanja, which has been identified with Tanjore (Thanjavur). According to Hiuen Tsang, Dharmapala was born at Kanchipuram. Dhamma pal also stayed for some time at Ngapattam in the Dharmasoka Vihara. In the Nettipakarna commentary, Dharmapala says that “he wrote this commentary while he was residing at the monastery built by king Asoka at Nagapattam which is like unto a port for embarking on the ocean of the Dhamma.
Bodhidharma
A seer of royal family of Kanchi in Tamil Nadu, Bodhidharma went to China. On joining the Buddhist Sangha, he was initiated into Buddhism by Prajna tara, a renowned teacher of the Dhyana or meditative from of Buddhism. After his teacher`s death, he worked for few years to popularise the Dhyana teachings in India. Later, he left for China in A.D. 526 for propagating his system of philosophy.
Bodhidharma was cordially welcomed by the emperor Wu-ti who was a devout Buddhist at his capital, Nanking. Bodhidharma is well known for pi-kuan or wall meditation in China. He lays stress on meditation by which alone he said, “enlightenment should be attained. The meditative school founded by Bodhidharma is known as Ch`an Buddhism in China. The Ch`an or Dhyana School teaches that we must discard blind acceptance of scriptural authority. According to it, Buddha is in the heart of man and Buddha-nature is always pure and bright, illuminating everywhere. The mystic philosophy of Bodhidharma has exercised an abiding spiritual influence among the Japanese Buddhist, where the Ch’in Buddhism became Zen Buddhism (contemplative Buddhism) with certain modifications.
हिंदी अनुवाद
बौद्ध धर्म के इतिहास में, गौतम बुद्ध के बाद, हमें दक्षिण भारत के प्रमुख बौद्ध संतों और विद्वानों के बारे में पता चला, जिन्होंने बौद्ध धर्म के प्रसार के लिए अपना जीवन समर्पित कर दिया। उनमें से कुछ नीचे सूचीबद्ध हैं:
धर्मपाल
तमिलनाडु के धर्मपाल छठी शताब्दी ईस्वी में रहते थे, और तंजा शहर के मूल निवासी थे, जिसकी पहचान तंजौर (तंजावुर) से की गई है। ह्वेनसांग के अनुसार धर्मपाल का जन्म कांचीपुरम में हुआ था। धम्म पाल कुछ समय के लिए नगापट्टम में धर्मशोक विहार में भी रुके। नेट्टिपकर्ण टिप्पणी में, धर्मपाल कहते हैं कि “उन्होंने यह टिप्पणी तब लिखी थी जब वह नागपट्टम में राजा अशोक द्वारा निर्मित मठ में रह रहे थे, जो धम्म के सागर पर चढ़ने के लिए एक बंदरगाह की तरह है।
बोधिधर्म
तमिलनाडु में कांची के शाही परिवार के एक संत, बोधिधर्म चीन गए। बौद्ध संघ में शामिल होने पर, उन्हें बौद्ध धर्म के ध्यान या ध्यान के एक प्रसिद्ध शिक्षक, प्रजना तारा द्वारा बौद्ध धर्म में दीक्षित किया गया था। अपने शिक्षक की मृत्यु के बाद, उन्होंने भारत में ध्यान शिक्षाओं को लोकप्रिय बनाने के लिए कुछ वर्षों तक काम किया। बाद में, वह अपनी दर्शन प्रणाली का प्रचार करने के लिए 526 ई. में चीन चले गए।
बोधिधर्म का सम्राट वू-टी ने, जो एक कट्टर बौद्ध था, अपनी राजधानी नानकिंग में गर्मजोशी से स्वागत किया। बोधिधर्म चीन में पाई-कुआन या दीवार ध्यान के लिए प्रसिद्ध है। वह ध्यान पर जोर देते हैं जिसके द्वारा ही उन्होंने कहा, ”आत्मज्ञान प्राप्त किया जाना चाहिए। बोधिधर्म द्वारा स्थापित ध्यान विद्यालय को चीन में चान बौद्ध धर्म के रूप में जाना जाता है। चान या ध्यान स्कूल सिखाता है कि हमें शास्त्रीय प्राधिकार की अंध स्वीकृति को त्याग देना चाहिए। इसके अनुसार, बुद्ध मनुष्य के हृदय में हैं और बुद्ध-स्वभाव सदैव शुद्ध और उज्ज्वल, हर जगह प्रकाशमान रहता है। बोधिधर्म के रहस्यवादी दर्शन ने जापानी बौद्धों के बीच एक स्थायी आध्यात्मिक प्रभाव डाला है, जहां चिन बौद्ध धर्म कुछ संशोधनों के साथ ज़ेन बौद्ध धर्म (चिंतनशील बौद्ध धर्म) बन गया।
The practicse of animal sacrifice which was the essence of Brahmanism and to which Buddhism was dealy opposed. That in an agricultural popualtion there should be respect for Buddhsim and revulsion against Brahmansim which invovled slaugthter of animal incuslign cows and bullock is only natural. What could the Brahmins do recover the lost rgound ?. To go one better that the Buddhist Bhikshus -not only to give up meat-eating [ i.e. beef -eating ] but to become vegetarians -which they did.(Sangharakshita(1986), Ambedkar and Buddhism, Windhorse Publications,Glasgow, p.97.
हिंदी अनुवाद
पशुबलि की प्रथा जो ब्राह्मणवाद का सार थी और जिसका बौद्ध धर्म सख्त विरोध करता था। कृषि प्रधान आबादी में बौद्ध धर्म के प्रति सम्मान और ब्राह्मण धर्म के प्रति घृणा होना, जिसमें गाय और बैल सहित अन्य पशुओं का वध शामिल है, स्वाभाविक है। ब्राह्मण अपनी खोई हुई संपत्ति वापस पाने के लिए क्या कर सकते थे? एक बेहतर बात यह है कि बौद्ध भिक्षुओं ने – न केवल मांस खाना [यानी गोमांस खाना] छोड़ दिया, बल्कि शाकाहारी बन गए – जो उन्होंने किया। (संघरक्षिता (1986), अंबेडकर और बौद्ध धर्म, विंडहॉर्स प्रकाशन, ग्लासगो, पृष्ठ 97 .
Buddhist having set up images of the Buddha and built syupas, the brahmins , in turn , built temples and installed in them the images of Hindu gods-all with the object of drawing people away from the worship of the Buddha. (Sangharakshita(1986), Ambedkar and Buddhism, Windhorse Publications,Glasgow, p.97.
हिंदी अनुवाद
बौद्धों ने बौद्ध की प्रतिमाएँ स्थापित कीं और स्यूपाओं का निर्माण किया, बदले में ब्राह्मणों ने मंदिर बनाए और उनमें हिंदू देवताओं की प्रतिमाएँ स्थापित कीं – यह सब लोगों को बौद्ध की पूजा से दूर करने के उद्देश्य से किया गया। (संघरक्षिता (1986), अंबेडकर और बौद्ध धर्म, विंडहॉर्स प्रकाशन, ग्लासगो, पृष्ठ 97 .
Belief in personal God and immortal soul are not helps but hindrances to one who would follow the Dharma. The Buddha must have believed in God”, cry some such people. ” He could not have denied the existence of the Atman”. protest others; but unfortunately for them the Buddha did do both shocking things. The Wisdom of the Tathagata is not be measured by the yardstick of human intelligence, nor limited by the cravings of the human heart. (Bhikshu Sangharakshita(1976), A Survey of Buddhism, Bangalore, The Indian Institute of World Culture, p.7.
हिंदी अनुवाद
व्यक्तिगत ईश्वर और अमर आत्मा में विश्वास उस व्यक्ति के लिए सहायता नहीं बल्कि बाधा है जो धर्म का पालन करेगा। बुद्ध ने ईश्वर में विश्वास किया होगा”, ऐसे कुछ लोगों का रोना है। “वे आत्मा के अस्तित्व से इनकार नहीं कर सकते थे”। दूसरों का विरोध करें; लेकिन दुर्भाग्य से उनके लिए बुद्ध ने दोनों चौंकाने वाली चीजें कीं। तथागत की बुद्धिमता नहीं है मानव बुद्धि के पैमाने से मापा जाता है, न ही मानव हृदय की लालसाओं द्वारा सीमित किया जाता है। (भिक्षु संघरक्षित(1976), बौद्ध धर्म का एक सर्वेक्षण, बैंगलोर, भारतीय विश्व संस्कृति संस्थान, पृष्ठ 7.
Abstaining from fish or flesh, nakedness, shaving of the head, matted hair, covering with ashes, wearing rough deer skins, attending the sacrificial fire, nor all these various penances in the world(performed) for immortality, neither incantation, oblations, sacrifice nor seasonal observances, purifies a person who has not overcome his doubt” (Ambedkar (1992), Buddha & His Dhamma, p.401-403)
हिंदी अनुवाद
मछली या मांस भोजन से विरत (खाने से मना ही) रहने से, नंगे रहने से, सिर मुड़ाने से, जटाएं रखने से, भभूत रमाने से, मृग-छाल धारण करने से, अग्नि में आहुति देने से, अमृत- प्राप्ति के निमित्त विभिन्न प्रकार की तपस्याएं करने से, जादू -टोने से, बलि चढ़ाने से और ऋतु के अनुसार पूजा-पाठ करने से आदमी की तब तक शुद्धि नहीं हो सकती, जब तक उसके संदेह (विचिकित्सा) दूर नहीं होते ((अम्बेडकर (1992), बुद्ध और उनका धम्म, पृष्ठ 401-403).
Go monks and travel for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, welfare and happiness of gods and men. No two of you go the same way. Teach the Dhamma, monks . . . and proclaim the pure holy life. There are beings with little passion in their natures who are languishing for lack of hearing the Dhamma; they will understand it.
हिंदी अनुवाद
भिक्षुओं जाओ और लोगों के कल्याण और खुशी के लिए, दुनिया के प्रति दया भाव से, देवताओं और मनुष्यों के लाभ, कल्याण और खुशी के लिए यात्रा करो। आपमें से कोई भी दो लोग एक ही रास्ते पर नहीं चलते। भिक्षुओं, धम्म सिखाओ। . . और शुद्ध पवित्र जीवन का प्रचार करो। ऐसे प्राणी हैं जिनके स्वभाव में कम जुनून है जो धम्म सुनने की कमी के कारण दुखी हैं; वे इसे समझ जायेंगे.
Saumya Bahadur, MBA, PhD
Unlike many of us born Buddhist I had to find my own path towards Buddha. My quest for Buddha started with a book sale, it was near my home at Anand Bhawan Allahabad. There I found a small booklet about Buddhism and Buddha’s path to enlightenment. The Noble Eightfold Path according to the Buddha, this consists of Right View, Right Resolve, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration became my guiding light. The four noble truths, the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering, showed me the guiding light.
Much of the credit for the revival of Buddhism in India goes to Dr Ambedkar. Buddhism from becoming a sect of Hinduism in times of Shankaracharya became a mainstream religion because of efforts of Babasaheb. In his biography Babasaheb mentioned about his hardships and his fight towards the cause to make the Dalits get their identity. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, often referred to as Babasaheb, is celebrated for his instrumental role in shaping modern India, especially through his work as the principal architect of the Indian Constitution. However, his journey towards Buddhism and his thoughts on the religion are equally significant, reflecting his profound quest for social justice and personal liberation. Born into the Mahar caste, considered untouchable in the rigid hierarchy of the Hindu caste system, Dr. Ambedkar faced severe discrimination and hardship from an early age.
He argued that the caste system was not a perversion of Hinduism but a fundamental aspect of it. His seminal works, such as “Annihilation of Caste,” critiqued the religious and social structures that perpetuated discrimination and advocated for the total eradication of the caste system. Dr. Ambedkar’s quest for a religion that promoted equality, compassion, and rationality led him to Buddhism. He was particularly drawn to the teachings of the Buddha, which he saw as a means to liberate his people from social bondage. Buddhism’s principles of non-violence, tolerance, and the rejection of caste-based discrimination resonated deeply with him.
Initially, Dr. Ambedkar explored various avenues to address the plight of the Dalits (formerly known as untouchables), including education, legal reforms, and politics. Despite his deep understanding of Hindu scriptures and philosophy, Dr. Ambedkar grew increasingly disillusioned with Hinduism’s inherent caste-based inequalities.
On October 14, 1956, in a historic ceremony in Nagpur, Dr. Ambedkar publicly converted to Buddhism along with approximately 500,000 of his followers. This mass conversion was not merely a religious act but a socio-political statement against caste oppression and a step towards reclaiming dignity and equality for Dalits. During the ceremony, Dr. Ambedkar took the “Three Refuges” and the “Five Precepts,” marking his formal acceptance of Buddhism. Dr. Ambedkar also administered these vows to his followers, initiating a movement that significantly altered the religious landscape of India. This event is celebrated as “Dhammachakra Pravartan Din” (The Day of Conversion to Buddhism) by his followers and continues to inspire all. Dr. Ambedkar’s adoption of Buddhism was a radical redefinition of the religion to suit the contemporary context of social equality and justice. He advocated for a “Navayana” or “New Vehicle” Buddhism, which rejected traditional rituals and dogmas and focused on the core teachings of the Buddha that emphasized emancipation from suffering and oppression. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s journey towards Buddhism was a testament to his unwavering commitment to human dignity, social justice, and equality. His conversion was not only a personal spiritual journey but also a revolutionary act that sought to uplift millions of oppressed individuals in India. Dr. Ambedkar’s thoughts on Buddhism continue to inspire and guide those who seek to challenge social injustices and work towards a more equitable world. His legacy as a Buddhist reformer and a champion of the downtrodden remains a beacon of hope and transformation.
*Dr. Saumya Bahadur, Visiting faculty, Institute of Engineering and rural technology, Prayagraj Uttar Pradesh. She is an academician and contributes articles, research papers. She is also a social activist working for the welfare of marginalised communities including women. She can be contacted at bahaadursaumya@gmail.com.
Buddhists consider that their religion has Three Jewels*: the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. They begin any ritual or religious ceremony by saying three times that they ‘take refuge’ in these Three Jewels, which are therefore also called the Three Refuges. Indeed, the taking of the Refuges is what defines a Buddhist. When they take refuge in the Buddha, Buddhists are thinking first and foremost of Gotama Buddha. Buddha is a title, meaning ‘Enlightened’ or ‘Awakened’. Gotama was the family name of a man who was born on the Nepalese side of the modern Indian-Nepali border, early in the fifth century BCE, and died at the age of 80. According to later tradition, his personal name was Siddhartha. At the age of 35 he attained Enlightenment by realizing the Truth, the Dhamma.
Tipitaka
In Pali it is called the Tipit.aka, which means that it consists of ‘three baskets’, i.e. three collections of texts: the Vinaya Pit.aka, which contains the vinaya, i.e. the rules or ‘discipline’ of the Sangha; the Sutta Pit.aka, which contains the Buddha’s sermons and some religious poetry and other miscellaneous texts – this is far the largest ‘basket’; and the Abhidhamma Pit.aka, which contains what is sometimes called ‘systematic philosophy’, a scholastic elaboration of doctrine, especially as regards the analysis of mind.
Digence
The King of Kosala is said: to have asked the Buddha one day whether there was one thing which could accomplish the ends of both this world and the next. Yes, said the Buddha: diligence. Diligence can win you longevity, health, beauty, heaven, birth in a good family and pleasures of the senses. (Richard F. Gombrich (1980). A Social History from ancient Benares to Modern Colombo, Routledge, New York, p.80.
Buddhist is expected to lead a noble and useful life. Buddhism possesses an excellent code of morals suitable to both advanced and unadvanced types of individuals.
They are:
(a) The five Precepts – not to kill, not to steal, not to commit adultery, not to lie, and not to take intoxicating liquor.
(b) The four Sublime States (Brahma-Vihāra): Lovingkindness, compassion, appreciative joy and equanimity.
(c)The ten Transcendental virtues (Pāramitā):— generosity, morality, renunciation, wisdom, energy, patience, truthfulness, resolution, loving-kindness, and equanimity. (d) The Noble Eightfold Path: Right understanding, right thoughts, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration.
Buddhism, being a religion with a claim of the reality of existence, has well acknowledged causal forces that could constitute the hindrance to a harmonious living on every level of human actions. Violence and conflict, from the perspective of Buddhist principle of dependent origination, are, same with everything else in the world, a product of causes and conditions. To eliminate violence and conflict, all we have to do is to resolve the underlying causes and conditions. Using human body/consciousness as a division, the Buddhist analysis of the causes of violence and conflict is arrayed along three domains: the external, the internal, and the root (Shih Yin-shun, 1980).
[ Theresa Der-Lan Yeh (2006), The way to Peace: A Buddhist Perspective, International Journal of Peace Studies, vol.11.Number 1, Spring Summer.
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