542 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Indian. The Buddhist religion servived here for 2000 years in India. Truly speaking, we feel regretted why we did not embrace the Buddhism earlier. The principles preached by the Lord Buddha are immortal. But the Lord Buddha did not make such claim. There is a provision for change with the change of time. Such generosity is not found in any religion.
The main reason of destruction of the Buddhist religion is the invasions of Muslims. Muslims destroyed the idols of the Lord Buddha in their invasions. This was the first attack on the Buddhist religion. Because of the fear of their invasions, the Buddhist Bhikkhus fled. Some went to Tibet, some went to China and some went elsewhere. To defend the religion laity is essential. There was a Greek King in the North-West Frontier. His name was Milinda. This King always used to debate. He delighted in debates. He used to tell the Hindus, one who is a debator should come forward and debate. He had made many unanswerable.
Once, he thought to debate with the Buddhist people and he asked to fetch any Buddhist debator. So the Buddhist people requested Nagsena that he should represent the Buddhists in that debate. Nagsena was learned. Earlier he was Brahmin. What debate took place between Nagsena and Milinda is known to the world through a book. The name of that book is ‘Milinda Panha’. Milinda asked a question, ‘Why does the religion decline?’ Nagsena answered and gave three reasons for it.
The first reason is that a particular religion itself is immature. The basic principles of that religion have no depth. It becomes a temporal religion and such religion survives only for short period.
The second reason is that, if there are no learned preachers in that religion, then the religion declines. Learned persons should preach the philosophy of the religion. If the preachers of the religion are not prepared to hold debate with the opponents, then the religion declines.
And the third reason is that, the religion and the religious principles are only for learned persons. For common people there are temples and shrines. They go there and worship supernatural power.