BV - May 2015 Yr 2 Issue 6 E

Buddha Jayanti (Purnima) and Its Political Significance
– Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar
There is no need to tell that Indians love
festivals. They spend half of the year in
festivity and religious rites. They also give
great importance to celebration of birth and
death anniversaries of great people. The
celebration of Krishnajanmastami,
Ramanavami and Hanuman Jayanti are
testimony to these mental attitudes of the
Hindus. It will surprise for the non-Indians
that Indians do not celebrate the Buddha
Jayanti in the same spirit though the Indians
are fond of such celebrations. Of all the great
people born in India, the status of the
Buddha is the highest. The followers of the
Buddha regard Him as the great Sun who
illuminated this world. Christians, though
envious they are of the Buddha, compare
Buddha with the Light of Asia. Hindus also
regard the Buddha as the tenth incarnation
of Vishnu. This famous person was buried in
the memories and Indians do not remember
him at all. There are many people who will
know the name of Bajirao’s harlot, Mastani.
But I guess that the numbers of people who
are familiar with the name of the Buddha are
far less than this. This famous person has
been forgotten to this extent is a matter of
great shame and surprise. In this situation, it
is a matter of joy that in Bengal and other
provinces the celebration of the Buddha
Jayanti has been started. This is very
praiseworthy. But we think that this event
has a great political significance. Therefore
in order to make people aware of this
significance we have planned to introduce
people the importance of the life and mission
of the Buddha.
to a boy in that forest. After giving birth to
the boy, Mayadevi died in a very short time.
The boy was nurtured by Mayadevi’s sister
Prajapati. The boy was named as Siddhartha.
Later on he became famous as the Gautama
Buddha.
As he was born in warrior class and ruling
family, he was provided education according
to the situation of the time. He was not only
trained in warfare but also was he well versed
in the Vedas. But Siddhartha was more
inclined to the life of solitude. He was not
specially interested in enjoying the royal life.
Due to fear that Siddhartha might become a
Sanyasin, Suddhodhan decided to marry
Siddhartha to confine him to family life. And
therefore he married Siddhartha to daughter
of Dandapani whose name in the father’s
house was Gopi and in law’s home was
Yashodhara. Yashodhara gave a birth to a
boy whose name was Rahula. In order to
provide luxuries to his son, Suddhodhan
built three palaces. He made all the
arrangements so that Siddhartha could live
in comfort.
One day Gautama decided to wander in the
village and to see the social situation and
therefore he left palace in his chariot.
Entering the city, he saw four events. First of
all he saw an old man, suffering, hopeless,
toothless, wrinkled faced, white haired, back
bent like an arrow, with a stick in hand
moving with ant’s speed whispering
something inaudible and with all the body
shaking uncontrollably. When he moved
forward, he was another scene. A man
suffering from heavy fever, enervated and
Before 2500 years, King Suddhodhan of fainted, homeless he was lying on the road.
Sakya clan was ruling Kapilvastu. The name On the further journey, he saw a dead body
of the family was Gautama. Kapilvastu was carried in procession by his friends and
located in what is now called United Province. relatives. The fourth scene he saw was that of
It was located between Shravasti and a Sanyasin with a pleasant and peaceful
Ayodhya and 50 miles east of Faizabad. mind carrying a begging bowl. These four
Suddhodhan had two wives. One of them was scenes had a terrific impact on the
Mayadevi and another was Prajapati. After Gautama’s mind. By seeing this, Gautama
marriage of Suddhodhan and Mayadevi, understood that there is a suffering in the
Mayadevi conceived after some days. world. Human life is uncertain and mortal. If
According to social tradition, the first delivery it were otherwise, man would have not
was to be carried out in her maternal home suffered diseases, never became old and
and therefore her father Subuddha sent a would have never died!!!. And the fourth sight
message to his son in law for sending of a Sanyasin is the aim of the life-Gautama
Mayadevi. Therefore Mayadevi and her sister thought. And as this world is full of suffering,
Prajapati left for her maternal house with full of diseases, full of deaths therefore there
retinue. On the way they halted in Lumbini is no meaning to this worldly life, Gautama
forest. On that place Mayadevi underwent further thought. Caught in this thought web
labour of birth of a child and she gave birth he returned home. Returning home he came
● Year – 2 ● Issue – 6 ● May 2015 ● Buddhist Voice ● www.buddhistvoice.com ● Email: indian.buddhistvoice@gmail.com 26