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(x) PREFACE
and scholarly approach towards Buddhist studies. In his critical biography of Buddha’s life published in 1940, he was probably one of the few Indian scholars who questioned the rationale behind the story of Gautam’s renunciation narrated in Mahabhinishkraman Sutta. In his book, he said, three reasons appear evident which made Gautama leave his palace and become a recluse : (i) People were quarrelling, he hesitated to bear arms; (ii) when he saw people quarrelling, fear creeped into his mind; (iii) He found the whole world empty. He could not find a place for shelter. Obsessed by these quarrels he decided to become a Sanyasi. Explaining these reasons from the Attadandasutta, Prof. Kosambi further narrates how the Saleyas and Koliyas were quarrelling over the water of Rohini river. He says, ‘Once the armies of Sakyas and Koliyas gathered near the Rohini river to fight, but the Buddha reached there and intervened and recited the Attadand sutta decrying conlfict and the use of force. He thus suggests that this event occured before his enlightnment. This is described in Kunal Jataka and in Jataka attakatha at several places. He quotes Pabbaja and Mahasaccakasutta also to support this theory.
The traditional belief that Siddharth left his palace with Chhanna in the midnight without consulting his parents or intimating his wife is also questioned by Prof. Kosambi. He cites Ariyapariyesana Sutta to show that his parents were present when he cut his hair to become a Sannyasi.
After analysing all the causes which resulted in Gautama’s renunciation, he concludes, that the frequent quarrels between Sakyas and Koliyas were responsible for his leaving home in search of finding the way for peace.
Based on this theory, Prof. Dharmananda wrote a play entitled ‘Bodhisatwa’ and published it in 1949. I had read