BY GOTAMA." BY PROF. N. K. BHAGVAT, M.A. INTRODUCTION. It is, I regard, the greatest fortune of the Buddha Society of Bombay that the Anthropological Society should have written to that body to send a paper on a Buddho-Anthropological subject from one of its members. Nowhere is the religion of the Buddha more misunderstood than what is done in India, the very cradle of Buddhism. There are many causes that contributed to bring about this lamentable state of things, one of the most important cause being the loss of the original tradition (Paraṇparâ) as represented by the Theravâda school. This took place, in fact, after Asoka's Missions to different parts of the world. It is, however, with a deep sense of appreciation and gratitude that we can witness the discovery of the Pâli Literature by Western Scholars. At congresses like the present one, we are all actuated by a desire to find out truth. The discovery of truth is the first ideal, and that can be done by knowledge. In arriving at Truth, however, we have got to remove all prepossessions, prejudices and dogmatism. The Priest of Literature has one and the only sacred duty before him and it is to open the sanctuary to have the sight of the Goddess of Truth by all without any earthly distinction of race, creed or Nationality. We all belong to one Great Family of the world and the Science of Anthropology will, one day, surely bring us home this very great truth. The subject of this paper is, as I have said above, of a BuddhoAnthropological character. It is "Brahmachariya, as understood by Gotama." Before I deal with it, I think it imperative on me to fix certain limitations for facility of understanding. The first limitation is about the use of the word, Buddhism. In this paper I use the word Buddhism in the sense of The Thera 1 The Mahāvamsa. Eng. Trans. by Wijesinha: pp. 47-49. 2 The X Indian Science Congress, Lucknow. 66 vâda or as it is mischievously called, the Hînayâna. Secondly I have retained the word Gotama to show how he individually thought and not how his successors understood him. His thought can be understood with sufficient clearness, if we believe in the authenticity of the Pâli Canon. The Pâli Literature with its three-fold Pitakas, is traceable to ephigraphical Records. They enable us to realise that the Mâgadhi Canon, which is brought under the one one convenient name of The Tipitaka must have been known even in the times of Asoka, i.e., 3rd century B. C,2 Again, a reference3 to one of the Inscriptions at Sânchi (Bhopal) convinces us of the existence of the President at the Third Convocation (San gîti), held at Pâtaliputra. Similarly, equally convincing proofs about the Pâli canon have been afforded by carvings on stone at the Toraņas or the Gateways4 and in the caves of Ajunta. The whole question of the authenticity of the Pâli canon has been discussed and solved by Dr. Winternitz and hence his conclusion that "The great mass of our Pâli Tipiṭaka, on the whole, may not lie so very different from the Mâgadhi canon of the 3rd century B. C." has not been as yet challenged. My paper, therefore, is based upon the Tiptaka, since it is prior to the Sanskrit canon and hence represent Gotama's view more purely and faithfully. With these preliminary remarks, I proceed. The word "Brahmachariya" that Gotama has used, is not coined by him. It existed long before him and had a great significance. After his enlightenment, i.e., when he realised the Sambodhi, he wanted to retire into solitude and lead the life of 1 Cf. Piyadassi's Inscriptions and those discovered on the stupas of Bahrat and Sanchi. 2 Cf., e.g., The Bhābrā Edict and the several ' Dedicatory inscriptions' discovered in Sanchi Topes. 3 " सुभासितस गोतिपुतस राजलीपिकस दानम् ". Now this गतिपु (Goti) was the Preceptor of ga, the President-elect of the 3rd Sam. 4 A guide to Sanchi (Marshall), 1918, pp. 37-81. 5 History of Indian Literature "-Buddhism. a Pacceka Buddha,1 He thought that the doctrine, that he had discovered, was too profound and subtle and his attempts to impress it on a people, full of worldly thoughts and immersed in craving () were sure to end in smoke. But then there goes to him the Brahma2 and requests him not to ruin the world by his resolve, but play the roll of a Sammā Sambuddha (Fullyenlightened Buddha), who on reaching Buddhahood propagates the Dhamma among the people and carries on the work of salvation. If the work of carrying the message of relief is to be done, there ought to be a band of faithful and disinterested persons, who have no attachment for wordly pleasures, who have renounced their individual Samsara, who have become Arhats and have put an end to their round of births or deaths and who would then identify themselves with the Samsâra of the world, with a universal feeling of love, rejoicings, compassion and equanimity.3 It is to prepare a Fraternity (San gha) of this type, that Gotama instituted his Brahmachariya. Hundreds of times does the word Brahmachariya' occur in the Tipitaka. In the Mahâvagga, for example, at the time of conferring the Upasampada ordination on the five Bhikkhus, the Blessed One utters the following sentence : " एथ मिक्खवो, स्वान्खातो धम्मो, चरथ ब्रह्मचरियं सम्मा दुक्खस्स अन्तकिरिया arsia ”—(#gram, pages 12-13) "Come on, oh Bhikkhus, wellयाऽति (महावग्ग', taught is the Doctrine, practise the Holy Life for the utter extinction of suffering." Again the following statement is often repeated : (सो) पहिततो विहरन्तो न चिररसेव यरसत्थाय कुलपुत्ता सम्मदेव अगारस्मा अनगारियं पब्बजन्ति तदनुत्तर ब्रह्मचरियपरियोसानं दिदेवधम्मे सयं अभिन्ञाय सच्छिकत्वा उपसम्पज्ज विहासि । ( मज्झिमनिकाय - मूलपणासक, वत्थूपमसुत्त ). 5 1 Cf. Mahāvagga (Oldenberg), Vol. I., page 5. 2 Ibid, page 5. 3 Known as the Brahma Vihāras (Exalted States.) 4 Oldenberg, Vol. I. 5 Devanagari edition by Rājwade and others, Poona (1919), p. 28. "(He) dwelling strenuous, he speedily knew for himself, rea lised and attained in this present Life to that ultimate object of the Holy Life, for the sake of which noble youths withdraw from home to homelessness." Again, in the Sutta Vibhanga1 Săriputta contemplates in his mind as to how the "Brahmachariya," instituted by Gotama will be of a long duration ( चिरति ). These three references are sufficient to show that the word "Brahmachariya was used by Gotama with reference to the Life of the Bhikkhu in general. In fact, the monasticism that Gotama founded, was called by him by that name, since in his opinion that life was the best possible one for the attainment of the goal before him. To ascertain the exact meaning of this word 'Brahmachariya" is the object of this paper. To do this, it would not suffice taking my stand upon the interpretation of the word as is found in the Tipitaka alone. Here I must make clear one position which is often overlooked. Buddhism-at least the Primitive Buddhism-was never something quite alien to the then existing Aryanism. The present tendency to look down upon the Buddha and his Dhamma as antogonistic to Hinduism ought to be deprecated. The Buddha has never posed for a Prophet. He never pretends to be the founder of a Religion. He was born in India, fed in India, had breathed the Indian atmosphere, was grounded in the beliefs of the Indians of his times and thus in the presentation of his religion he has not given us anything radically opposite to that of Aryanism. To be brief, his religion is the religion of the Upanishads with modifications and his ideas of Brahmachariya and asceticism were largely influenced by the orders and the Ashramas that had long obtained currency in Northern India. It is, therefore, necessary to take a review of the Religious Life of the Hindus, before we can appreciate Gotama's ideas of Brahmachariya-divergences and similitudes. A historical survey of the Vedas, the Brahmaņas, the older Upanishads and the earlier Dharma Satras—like those of बौधायन, आपस्तम्भ, गौतम and others is 1 Oldenberg: The Vinaya Piṭaka. absolutely essential. In one word, we must look at it from anthropological point of view. THE VEDAS. When the Indo-Aryans, the simple, bold and enterprising people, the mentioned in the VI Mandala, lived by agriculture and pasture of the fertile banks of the Indus and its tributories, they must have led a very interesting and pleasing life. The Rg Veda in its simple and natural way describes that life. The shis of those times were practical men of the world. Majority of them lived in homes in the jungles, as the country must not have been cleared off. Looking to the nature of religion that is presented in the Rg Veda, we discover it to be the worship of Nature in her most imposing and sublime aspects. "Nature is throughout Divine." There are divinities like the Indra, Agni, Soma, Varuņa and the duty of the Man is to be humble and sincere before the mighty God. There ought to be Faith. Their worship resolves itself into two sets of acts:— Oblation and Prayer. 1 There is as yet no rehearsal of the sacred Texts or vows, which may be construed as ascetic practises. One, however, hears of 2, the ecstatic enthusiast, who is considered to hold intercourse with the Gods. But the true service of the gods is sacrifice, accompanied by invocations. In fact, this was quite in fitness of things, since the 'Religion of the Veda travels from Nature up to Nature's God." 3 The X Mandala, however, which is later according to Scholars, recognises the Brahmachari. In fact there is a hymn, that glorifies him. "The Brahmachari goes on engaged in duty; he is a member of the God's own body, through him ala obtained his consort." In the Atharva Veda,5 which too is later, fabulous powers are attributed to the Brahmachāri. “He is said to be quickening both the worlds. The gods are joyful in 66 |