Buddha's Anatmavada and Nature of Nirvan (A Logical Analysis)

Foreword While studying post-graduation in the department of 'Dr. Ambedkar Thoughts' in Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaja Nagpur University, Nagpur, while doing M.A. Part II, a dissertation was to be submitted as an option for Paper-Il. For that, I selected the subject "Buddha's Anatmavada and Nature of Nirvan - A Logical Analysis".

I never thought even in my wildest dreams, that this would one day be transformed into a book form. But co- incidence came along and it happened unexpectedly. The All India Oriental Conference is completing it’s lO years this year and the Kavikulguru Kalidas Sanskrit University, Ramtek received the hosting of the fiftieth biennial convention of the institute. On this occasion, the Vice-Chancellor resolved to publish 100 books. I am delighted to receive the golden opportunity to publish a book under this resolution. I am deeply indebted to the Honorable Acharyas Dr. Srinivas Varkhedi, Vice- Chancellor of Kalidas Sanskrit University, and Ramtek for giving me this opportunity. I also extend my sincere thanks to the university's publications department. My personal thanks to all the honorable members of the Se- lection Committee. I express my deep gratitude to Dr. Penna Sir and Dr. Rastogi Madam for the co-operation and help extended by them. If Dr. Veena Ganu had not insisted, this book might not have seen the light, so special thanks to her.

I must mention here the unforgettable help extended by my daughter-in-law Mrs. Pragati Shirish Khadse, who always made us forget the absence of our own daughter, not only that, she loved us immensely just like our own daughter and my grandson Master Anshuk Shirish Khadse, who filled our lives with happiness.

I specially thank Mr. Satish Thengdi for completing the typesetting work accurately and in due time.

Preface It is indeed a matter of great pleasure and pride for Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University, Ramtek to have this rarest opportunity of hosting the 50th session of All India Oriental Conference at Nagpur. This AlOC-50th session at Nagpur will be forever remembered by all as the year 2019 also happens to be the year of Centenary Celebration of AIOC.

The premier objective with which the great scholars of yester years had contemplated and established this national academic event called All India Oriental Conference has been achieved through these years with scores of young scholars contributing significantly to the treasure house of knowledge through their' valuable research work.

The: research of yore and of the present should be properly recorded so as to make it easily available to all lovers of knowledge and wisdom in the years to come. With this objective, we have contemplated to commemorate the 100th year of this grand event of 50th session of AlOC by way of publishing 100 monographs on different subjects in four languages viz., Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi and English. It is no doubt a herculean task but still worth of it, for the reason that these 100 monographs will inspire many young scholars to take upon a fresh study and research of the oriental subjects with more vigor and zeal.

The AlOC Centenary Publication Series includes wide variety of subjects like Literature, Language, Veda, Indian Philosophy, Sanskrit Grammar, Law, Children Literature, Yoga, Astronomy and Astrology, Ayurveda, Pali, Prakrit, Jain, Buddhism; Education, Library Science, Poetics, Aesthetics, and Indology. It also includes reprint of some rare texts of. academic importance’s which have gone out of print are not easily available. We wish to mark these centenary celebrations with this series that connects the glory of the past and aspirations of future. I place on record my sincere gratitude to all the authors of these monographs who have kindly contributed to the richness of this series.

I am confident that the books published in these series will definitely inspire the lovers of Oriental Learning in general and of Sanskrit Language and Literature in particular.

On this occasion, we have published a memorable book of all the speeches of Section-Presidents of all previous sessions of AlOC. It is indeed a very capacious addition to any collection. I with all respect thank two eminent scholars of our times ~ Prof. Gautam Patel, President and Prof. Saroja Bhate, General Secretary, the torch bearers of AIOC who have not only encouraged us in this venture but also made all efforts to provide these valuable historical speeches for us. I thank all executive members of AIOC and my colleagues of the varsity for making this event a grand success. My words fall short in describing the painstaking efforts and scholarly commitment of my esteemed colleague Prof. Madhusudan Penna, local secretary of this session in bringing out this series.

I also take this opportunity to profusely thank Shri.

Subhash Jain and Shri Deepak Jain, the proprietors of New Bharatiya Book Corporation, New Delhi for their enthusiastic approach and timely work with all precision and grace.

Let us all sanctify ourselves in the eternal flow of wisdom by reading these books and recommending these to others also!

Introduction The first thesis of Buddha is that he denied the per- manence and immortality of things in the world and at the same time as its counterpart he denies the existence of permanent self. These are the basic and fundamental principles of his teaching. In the light of which we will have to interpret his views regarding rebirth and Kamma Sindhanth and Nirvana. We have to find out the consistency in his thought while concluding about his thesis because he kept mum regarding certain metaphysical problems and therefore many scholars have mistaken while interpreting him. Some doctrine like the permanent soul and the stage of Nirvana which are not consistent with his theory of importance and Nairatmya.

The next central tenet of his philosophy is the doc- trine of theory of Pratityasamudpad which is a contribution of him to Indian Philosophy, giving psychological analysis, he tried to explain the Dukkha and its cause; it cessation of suffering and the way to stop it, very con- mincingly the eight fold path for individual's liberation.

Buddha denies the unity and identity of self as well as of material things also, but he introduces continuity in that place. On the ground of which we can draw a logical geography of his philosophy in the realm of Indian Philosophy, historically as well as philosophically at the same time. His thinking was at logical and scientific. The difficulty, in taking an account of his philosophy, is this that he wrote no book and the work compiled regarding his preaching was a long time after his death. The first thing is certainly known to the history of India is his Mahaprinirvan that occurred in 487 B.C. "That there is a permanent self, Buddha says, is not a reality but is a doctrine of fools. Buddha does not owe to Upanishad as a source of such doctrines." - T.R.V. Murti.' There is nothing like a eternal Brahma. We appear this Brahma concept in Brahmajal Sutra and Samannaphal Sutra. All sorts of criticism appear in the above treatises.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages