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RELIGION NO LONGER BE INHERITED BUT BE EXAMINED RATIONALLY BY EVERYBODY
“A Dramatic development of great national importance and interest throughout South-East Asia took place in the capital New Delhi; tonight, the May 2,1950 when Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, India’s Law Minister, called upon 70 million Harijans to embrace Buddhism, speaking at the triple anniversary of Lord Buddha at a crowded meeting.
Later, Dr. Ambedkar told the “Bharat” representative that he was on his way to embracing Buddhism. Mrs. Ambedkar was present at the meeting.
It is also authoritatively learnt that about 15 Harijans will embrace Buddhism in Delhi tomorrow. Similar directives, it is learnt, have been sent to Dr. Ambedkar’s follwers all over India.
Yesterday, the actual day of Trinity-birthday, “Parinirvana” day, the day of death of Lord Buddha, Dr. Ambedkar went to the local Vihar to pay his respects and homage to Lord Buddha.
According to a high Buddhist Bikkhu, Dr. Ambedkar prayed for
Buddham Saranam gacchami
Dhammam Saranam gacchami
Sangham Saranam gacchami
He also accepted five tenets of Buddhism, all generally interpreted as near solemnisation.
Buddhist Renaissance
A ranking Buddhist Bhikkhu who was present while Dr. Ambedkar was making his speech, said that now India had attained freedom. Buddhism must come to its own. Emphasising the political significance of the possible Buddhist renaissance in India, he declared that India would require Buddhism to guard her freedom and spiritual strength.
Dr. Ambedkar, in his 30 minutes speech in flawless Hindi, emphatically asserted that Buddhist renaissance had again commenced in India. He supported this assertion by pointing out that the President of the Republic had to approach Buddhism for the symbol over free India’s national flag Ashoka Chakra, finding nothing from a search into Brahminism. Buddhism again came