आणि भाषणे डॉ. बाबासाहेब आंबेडकर लेखन ५१६
past of Buddhism, I feel sad When I recall to my mind the history
Buddha, who, for the first and disappointed to see how the Bhagawan
at the alter of suffering time, taught loving service and self-sacrifice
humanity and entire creation of life as the end-all and be-all of religion should have been entirely neglected and forgotten in the land of His birth where, He first began the work of conveying a message of hope and inspiration to the suffering and ignorant masses of India, to all those “who had ears to listen.” He then extended His sphere of self-less activity through his devoted Bhikkhus outside India and in the then known world. He reduced all speculation in religion to practical love and piety, irrespective of any considerations of caste, creed or sex, touchable or untouchable. On the broadest principles of universal love, brotherhood and Ahimsa, Bhagawan Buddha effected a tremendous revolution in the political, social, moral and religious aims and ideals, and it was due to Him and His methods of teaching that Art was first applied to religion and religious purposes. It is the happiest signs of the times that Modern India has been showing renewed and appreciative interest in the Bhagawan Buddha and His times and
teaching. Butmy admiration for His Highness is still further intensified by the fact that long before this renaissance of Buddhism in India, His Highness had taken great interest in Bhagawan Buddha, and showed the greatest love forhim. His Highness had on many occasions been gracious to come to my place, and always evinced great reverence for Him in talks with me. His Highness really desired that Bhagawan
-Buddha’s teachings should be studied in India and His ideals of self- conquest, Ahimsa and humanitarian and altruistic work on the basis of | Universal Brotherhood should be widely known and given prominence
to: Outof great love His Highness has installed in the Jubilee Garden of Baroda a big bronze statue of Bhagawan Buddha, and arranged lectures on Buddha and Buddhism in the year 1910; and
Prof. Dharmanand Kosambi delivered 5 lectures in Marathi. His High-
ness introduced Pali as a second language in the Baroda College first
and then in the High School, and for the first time appointed the late
Prof. C. V. Rajvade, who was entrusted with the work of translating
into Marathi three volumes of the Dighnikaya in the Shree Sayaji
Sahityamala and instituted scholarships for Pali studies in the Fergusson and the Baroda Colleges. His Highness assimilated many of the
Buddhistic principles, like removing untouchability, giving equal status