z:\ ambedkar\vol-011\vol11-01.indd MK SJ+YS 4-10-2013/YS-18-11-2013 1 ’ Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (14th April 1891 - 6th December 1956) z:\ ambedkar\vol-011\vol11-01.indd MK SJ+YS 4-10-2013/YS-18-11-2013 2 BLANK z:\ ambedkar\vol-011\vol11-01.indd MK SJ+YS 4-10-2013/YS-18-11-2013 3 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Vol. 11 z:\ ambedkar\vol-011\vol11-01.indd MK SJ+YS 4-10-2013/YS-18-11-2013 4 Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar : Writings and Speeches Vol. 11 First Edition by Siddharth Publication : 1957 First Edition by Education Department, Govt. of Maharashtra : 1992 Re-printed by Dr. Ambedkar Foundation : January, 2014 ISBN (Set) : 978-93-5109-064-9 Courtesy : Monogram used on the Cover page is taken from Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar’s Letterhead. © Secretary Education Department Government of Maharashtra Price : One Set of 1 to 17 Volumes (20 Books) : ` 3000/- Publisher: Dr. Ambedkar Foundation Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India 15, Janpath, New Delhi - 110 001 Phone : 011-23357625, 23320571, 23320589 Fax : 011-23320582 Website : www.ambedkarfoundation.nic.in The Education Department Government of Maharashtra, Bombay-400032 for Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Source Material Publication Committee Printer M/s. Tan Prints India Pvt. Ltd., N. H. 10, Village-Rohad, Distt. Jhajjar, Haryana z:\ ambedkar\vol-011\vol11-01.indd MK SJ+YS 4-10-2013/YS-18-11-2013 5 Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment & Chairperson, Dr. Ambedkar Foundation Kumari Selja MESSAGE Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the Chief Architect of Indian Constitution was a scholar par excellence, a philosopher, a visionary, an emancipator and a true nationalist. He led a number of social movements to secure human rights to the oppressed and depressed sections of the society. He stands as a symbol of struggle for social justice. The Government of Maharashtra has done a highly commendable work of publication of volumes of unpublished works of Dr. Ambedkar, which have brought out his ideology and philosophy before the Nation and the world. In pursuance of the recommendations of the Centenary Celebrations Committee of Dr. Ambedkar, constituted under the chairmanship of the then Prime Minister of India, the Dr. Ambedkar Foundation (DAF) was set up for implementation of different schemes, projects and activities for furthering the ideology and message of Dr. Ambedkar among the masses in India as well as abroad. The DAF took up the work of translation and publication of the Collected Works of Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar published by the Government of Maharashtra in English and Marathi into Hindi and other regional languages. I am extremely thankful to the Government of Maharashtra’s consent for bringing out the works of Dr. Ambedkar in English also by the Dr. Ambedkar Foundation. Dr. Ambedkar’s writings are as relevant today as were at the time when these were penned. He firmly believed that our political democracy must stand on the base of social democracy which means a way of life which recognizes liberty, equality and fraternity as the principles of life. He emphasized on measuring the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved. According to him if we want to maintain democracy not merely in form, but also in fact, we must hold fast to constitutional methods of achieving our social and economic objectives. He advocated that in our political, social and economic life, we must have the principle of one man, one vote, one value. There is a great deal that we can learn from Dr. Ambedkar’s ideology and philosophy which would be beneficial to our Nation building endeavor. I am glad that the DAF is taking steps to spread Dr. Ambedkar’s ideology and philosophy to an even wider readership. I would be grateful for any suggestions on publication of works of Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar. (Kumari Selja) z:\ ambedkar\vol-011\vol11-01.indd MK SJ+YS 4-10-2013/YS-18-11-2013 6 Collected Works of Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar (CWBA) Editorial Board Kumari Selja Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India and Chairperson, Dr. Ambedkar Foundation Shri Manikrao Hodlya Gavit Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India Shri P. Balram Naik Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India Shri Sudhir Bhargav Secretary Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India Shri Sanjeev Kumar Joint Secretary Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India and Member Secretary, Dr. Ambedkar Foundation Shri Viney Kumar Paul Director Dr. Ambedkar Foundation Shri Kumar Anupam Manager (Co-ordination) - CWBA Shri Jagdish Prasad ‘Bharti’ Manager (Marketing) - CWBA Shri Sudhir Hilsayan Editor, Dr. Ambedkar Foundation z:\ ambedkar\vol-011\vol11-01.indd MK SJ+YS 4-10-2013/YS-18-11-2013 7 Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Source Material Publication Committee, Maharashtra State 1. HON’BLE SHRI ANANTRAO THOPATE … PRESIDENT MINISTER FOR EDUCATION 2. HON’BLE SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE … MEMBER MINISTER FOR SOCIAL WELFARE 3. HON’BLE SHRI PATANGRAO KADAM ... MEMBER MINISTER OF STATE FOR EDUCATION 4. SHRI R. S. GAVAI … MEMBER 5. SHRI DADASAHEB RUPAWATE ... MEMBER 6. SHRI SHANKARRAO KHARAT ... MEMBER 7. SHRI WAMAN NIMBALKAR ... MEMBER 8. SHRI PRAKASH AMBEDKAR ... MEMBER 9. DR. BHALCHANDRA PHADKE ... MEMBER 10. SHRI DAYA PAWAR ... MEMBER 11. DR. GANGADHAR PANTAWANE ... MEMBER 12. DR. BHAU LOKHANDE ... MEMBER 13. DR. S. K. MESHRAM … MEMBER 14. PROF. KESHAV MESHRAM … MEMBER 15. SHRI VISHWAS PATIL … MEMBER 16. PROF. PRABHA GANORKAR … MEMBER 17. DR. U. M. PATHAN ... MEMBER 18. SHRI LAXMAN MANE ... MEMBER 19. PROF. N. D. PATIL … MEMBER 20. DR. JANARDAN WAGHMARE … MEMBER 21. PROF. ASHOK GODGHATE … MEMBER 22. SECRETARY (HIGHER EDUCATION) … MEMBER 23. OFFICER ON SPECIAL DUTY ... MEMBER- SECRETARY 24. DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (HIGHER EDUCATION) CONVENOR z:\ ambedkar\vol-011\vol11-01.indd MK SJ+YS 4-10-2013/YS-18-11-2013 8 BLANK z:\ ambedkar\vol-011\vol11-01.indd MK SJ+YS 4-10-2013/YS-18-11-2013 9 THE BUDDHA AND HIS DHAMMA By B. R. AMBEDKAR M.A., PH.D., D.SC., LL.D., D. LITT., BARRISTER-AT-LAW SIDDHARTH COLLEGE PUBLICATION: I 1957 z:\ ambedkar\vol-011\vol11-01.indd MK SJ+YS 4-10-2013/YS-18-11-2013 10 z:\ ambedkar\vol-011\vol11-01.indd MK SJ+YS 4-10-2013/YS-18-11-2013 11 THE BUDDHA AND HIS DHAMMA z:\ ambedkar\vol-011\vol11-01.indd MK SJ+YS 4-10-2013/YS-18-11-2013 12 BLANK z:\ ambedkar\vol-011\vol11-01.indd MK SJ+YS 4-10-2013/YS-18-11-2013 13 INTRODUCTION INDICATIONS of a growth in the volume of interest in Buddhism are noticeable in some sections of the Indian people. Along with it there is naturally a growing demand for a clear and consistent statement of the life and teachings of the Buddha. Anyone who is not a Buddhist finds it extremely difficult to present the life and teachings of the Buddha in a manner which would make it a consistent whole. Depending on the Nikayas, not only the presentation of a consistent story of the life of the Buddha becomes a difficult thing and the presentation of some parts of his teachings becomes much more so. Indeed it would not be an exaggeration to say that of all the founders of religions in the world the presentation of the life and teachings of the founder of Buddhism presents a problem which is quite puzzling if not baffling. Is it not necessary that these problems should be solved and the path for the understanding of Buddhism be made clear ? Is it not time that those who are Buddhists should take up these problems at least for general discussion and throw what light they can on these problems ? With a view to raise a discussion on these problems I propose to set them out here. The first problem relates to the main event in the life of the Buddha, namely, Parivraja. Why did the Buddha take Parivraja? The traditional answer is that he took Parivraja because he saw a dead person, a sick person and an old person. This answer is absurd on the face of it. The Buddha took Parivraja at the age of 29. If he took Parivraja as a result of these three sights, how is it he did not see these three sights earlier ? These are common events occurring by hundreds and the Buddha could not have failed to come across them earlier. It is impossible to accept the traditional explanation that this was the first time he saw them. The explanation is not plausible and does not appeal z:\ ambedkar\vol-011\vol11-01.indd MK SJ+YS 4-10-2013/YS-18-11-2013 14 to reason. But if this is not the answer to the question, what is the real answer ? The second problem is created by the four Aryan Truths. Do they form part of the original teachings of the Buddha ? This formula cuts at the root of Buddhism. If life is sorrow, death is sorrow and rebirth is sorrow, then there is an end of everything. Neither religion nor philosophy can help a man to achieve happiness in the world. If there is no escape from sorrow, then what can religion do, what can Buddha do to relieve man from such sorrow which is ever there in birth itself? The four Aryan Truths are a great stumbling block in the way of non-Buddhists accepting the gospel of Buddhism. For the four Aryan Truths deny hope to man. The four Aryan Truths make the gospel of the Buddha a gospel of pessimism.