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Journal of Xi’an Shiyou University, Natural Science Edition ISSN : 1673-064X REVIVAL OF TAMIL BUDDHISM: A HISTORICAL STUDY *MA.VELUSAMY **V.THIRUVENI *Assistant Professor of Social Work.DDE, Alagappa UniversityKaraikudi ** Assistant Professor of Tamil .DDE, Alagappa UniversityKaraikudi Buddhism has to-day grown into a great religion of Buddhism got merged with Hinduism. Mylai S. the world with a large following of its own. As Venkatasami, Dr. Vasudeva Rao, Dr. S. N. Buddhism spread, it wielded a great influence all Kanda samy and of late Dr. Shu Hikosaka have over India. Protest against caste system, traced the long history of Buddhism and its determination to break the barriers dividing one literature in Tamil Nadu. Dr. Shu Hikosaka has section from the other and establishing equality desired that a study to examine the impact of among all sections of the people, involving the Buddhism after its decline on Tamil culture and masses in preaching the religion and as a means of literature shall be purposive and fruitful1 So far appealing to the masses through the simple languages they understand were the salient features no one has undertaken any serious study in this that enabled spread of Buddhism. Because of its direction or to trace out the history of the concern over the social question of the day, movement to the revival of Tamil Buddhism in Buddhism became a popular movement and the Tamil Nadu during this century. oppressed class people in India found solace and According to Bhikku Sangharakshita the comfort in Buddhism. This paper aims to trace the revival of the modern Buddhist Movement in history of the Tamil Buddhist Religious Movement India began about a hundred years ago with in Tamil Nadu. Mahaviraswami, a veteran of Indian Mutiny Key Words : Buddhism, Tamil Buddhism, who after receiving higher ordination in Burma Religious Movement settled at Kusinagara. Buddhist revival in India ****** began as an organised movement in 1891, when Buddhism was there in Tamil Nadu even during Anagarika Dharmapala (1864-1933) founded the Sangam age. It saw its golden age during the Maha Bhodhi Society. He was one of the A.D. 400-700. The genesis of the Bhakthi pioneers that drew the attention of the Movement in the 6th century and Adi Sankara's authorities concerned towards the historic Vedanta Movement led to the collapse of importance of the ancient Buddhist sites that Jainism and Buddhism. Sans Manimekalai, were in isolation. He had renounced the earth almost all of the Buddhist literary works were and home at the age of 18 and the maiden destroyed and the sublime principles of VOLUME 17 ISSUE 02 1-11 http://xisdxjxsu.asia Journal of Xi’an Shiyou University, Natural Science Edition ISSN : 1673-064X speech at the parliament of religion held in of Tamil Buddhism that started at the end of the Chicago in 1893 was his personal introduction nineteenth century in Madras, particularly with to the Western World and Far East.2 He reference to the efforts of Pandit K. Ayothi succeeded in gathering round him a number of Doss in reviving Tamil Buddhism and the distinguished people who were desirous of impact of such efforts in the emergence of the working for the cause of Buddhism. However Neo-Buddhist movement in Tamil Nadu and the importance of Buddhism for the history of also to the efforts initiated by Baba Saheb Dr. Indian religion and culture became fairly B. R. Ambedkar, the accredited leader of the general among the educated classes, from them 'untouchables' in India, to revive Buddhism. percolating down here and there among the Col. Henry Steel Olcott (1832-1907) masses.3 As rightly pointed by Sangharakshita deserves the honour of having sown the seeds of the most decisive and far-reaching event of Buddhist Revivalism in Madras. Later on, modern times occured when late Dr. B. R. following his footsteps Pandit K. Ayothi Doss Ambedkar embraced Buddhism at Nagpur on (1845.1914) and Prof. P. Lakshminarasu (1860- 14th October, 1956 along with half a million 1934) nurtured it. It may be emphatically said followers. To-day Buddhism is a household that Pandit Ayothi Doss after receiving word and became once more the living hope of inspiration and help from Madame H. P. millions. Blavatsky and Col. H. S. Olcott and through Pandit Ayothi Doss's Buddhist Revival them from Ven. Dharmapala made the Buddhist Movement in Tamil Nadu predates Dr. B. R. Revivalism particularly the Tamil Buddhism the Ambedkar's Neo-Buddhist Movement in people's movement in the then composite Maharashtra and his service in this direction Madras State. and the publication of Tamil Books and Earlier the coming of the founders of the periodicals of his movement deserve elaborate Theosophical Movement to India had paved the research and investigation. It is heartening to way for the revival of Buddhism. The Buddhist note that Mr. Vijayakumar, Journalist living in Priest Mohothiwatte Gunananda the high priest Bangalore has attempted to bring to light the of the Buddhist Temple at Kotahena in Tamil Buddhist Revival Movement in his Colombo joined the Theosophical Society in project paper on Neo-Buddhist Interpretation of 1877. He was a brilliant orator and he opposed Buddhist History in India.4 The aim of the the Christian Missionaries who had greatly present paper is restricted to a historical survey enfeebled the spiritual virility of Buddhism.5 VOLUME 17 ISSUE 02 1-11 http://xisdxjxsu.asia Journal of Xi’an Shiyou University, Natural Science Edition ISSN : 1673-064X as a private individual and not in his official In 1873 he had a great debate with the capacity as the president of the Theosophical Wesleyan Minister David Silva in Panatura, Society. Col. Olcott made a tour of Japan in Ceylon. The study of this debate had already 1888 and Australia in 1891. His visit to Japan influenced Col. H. S. Olcott and Madame H. P. was a remarkable success and he received Blavatsky to take a decision to go to Ceylon to welcome from all sects of Buddhism in Japan. study Buddhism.6 After elaborate consultation, he drew up a On the invitation of Gunananda and statement of the Principles of Buddhism which another equally famous High Priest in Ceylon, were acceptable to such divergent forms as H. Sumangala, the Principal of the Vidyodaya existed in Ceylon and Japan.7 College for Buddhist Priests, H. P. Blavatsky, In the year 1884, Col. Olcott along with Col. H. S. Olcott, Damodhar K. Malvalankar, E. Madame H.P. Blavatsky and Anagarika Winbridge, S. J. Padshah, Mr. and Mrs. Dharmapala came to Adyar, Madras and started Panachand Anandaji and others left Bombay his liberation work for the Depressed classes. and reached Ceylon in May 1880. On their So he started his `Olcott Panchama Free arrival in Ceylon, they dedicated themselves Schools' in Madras City. He considered whole heartedly to the cause of reviving the education to be the only evident panacea for all waning spirit of Buddhism and formally the social disorders8. Madame H. P. Blavatsky and Col. Olcott In the year 1896 Pandit K. Ayothi Doss became Buddhists by reciting the five precepts with his followers met Col. Olcott and after the High Priest A. Dhammarama at requested him to help them to revive Buddhism Vijayananda Temple in Galle, Ceylon. and to build for them a temple where they could In 1881 Col. Olcott put together the worship according to their ancestral rules. In simple teachings of Buddhism in a Buddhist 1898 Col. Olcott took Pandit Ayothi Doss and catechism in English and other Languages and P. Krishnasamiar a teacher of Olcott Panchama he organised Buddhist Schools throughout Free School to Ceylon and there they became Ceylon. Inspite of bitter attacks by the Christian Buddhists.9 In the same year Pandit Ayothi Missionaries the Buddhist Revivalism Doss started the South India Sakya Buddhist progressed steadily and it blossomed into a Association at Royapettah, Madras. Later the powerful Buddhist Educational Movement. Col. name was changed to South India Buddhist Olcott carried on his Buddhist Missionary work VOLUME 17 ISSUE 02 1-11 http://xisdxjxsu.asia Journal of Xi’an Shiyou University, Natural Science Edition ISSN : 1673-064X Association. Branches of the Association stupendous articles and they were later sprang up in three other places in Madras. published in book form by the Kolar Gold Pandit Ayothi Doss, a Tamil Scholar, Fields Buddhist Associations. Pandit Ayothi Native Doctor and one of the early leaders of Doss's 'Buddha's Adhivedam' is his magnum the untouchables in Tamil Nadu is known by a opus. It was written to explain Buddhism to lengthy name, `Tondai Mandala Valla Kalathi new converts. The book based on Tamil and Deiva Pulamai, Vaidya Simha, Sangai, Kaviraja Pali works is a standing testimony to his Pandit K, Ayothi Dassa Dhamma Nayaka'. scholarship and erudition. Pandit Ayothi Doss Kandaswamy was his father's name and it has written a book on logic also in Tamil. seems that he has added his teacher Ayothi The weeekly `Tamizhan' ran for 14 years Doss's name to express his gratitude and in from Madras and afterwards upto 1935 from course of time he came to be known as K. Kolar Gold Fields. It maintained a high literary Ayothi Doss Pandithar10. standard that kept the people informed of all At a time when there were no facilities that was happening in the country. There were and opportunities and when there was extracts from 'London Times', the incidents of opposition from several directions and quarters, atrocities on oppressed class people, the it was he who set his face against them and Congress Politics etc. Essays were published established that Buddhism was the religion of establishing Tamil Classics like Manimekalai the Tamils particularly that of the Depressed and ethical works like Thirukkural and classes.

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