What the Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the UNGA - 2019 was one sparkling piece of truth emanating from the perennial land of prudence called Bharata. He said, “India has given the world the Buddha, not yuddha.” In saying so, Prime Minister Modi was plainly emphasizing the Indian Way, which is the way of peace, compassion, and camaraderie, and not of chaos, strife, and subterfuge.
Over the centuries and millenniums, an inexhaustible line of awakened Indian spiritual masters, seers, saints and teachers have given the world the message of peace, compassion and tolerance. The ever vibrant Indian wisdom and prudence has contributed much to solving the puzzling dichotomy of creation and evolution of the phenomena as well as the mysterious affairs of life and living through well formulated theses and theories like dhamma, kamma, nibbana et al, which are the compelling components of the celebrated Indian philosophy. The utter result of such spiritual/intellectual awakening of India has been that the rest of the world today generally knows and describes India as the “Land of Enlightenment” and the land of gurus. While talking of ancient Indian gurus, the historic Siddhartha Gautama of the noble Sakyan clan, better known as the Buddha, is the best known guru to have emerged from India. The perennial message of peace and tolerance that the Buddha imparted more than two thousand five hundred years ago is so very vital for the present day ideologically fragmented and strife torn world. So, therefore, in saying that “India has given the world the Buddha, not yuddha,” Prime Minister Modi was not only emphasizing on the sparkling contour of the Indian Way that leads to peace, progress, and harmonious co-existence of all sentient beings but he was also encouraging the nations of the world to tread on the path shown by the Buddha.
When we proudly say that “India has given the world the Buddha,” one name instantly comes to our mind that in true sense of the term “gave the Buddha to the world.” He is no less a person than Emperor A?oka (c. 304 – 232 BC) of the Maurya dynasty. Had it not been for A?oka’s zeal for the dhamma, Buddhism would not have achieved what it has come to achieve today ? the stature of a World Religion. The post Kalinga War reign of A?oka was singularly dedicated to the resurrection of the Buddha’s teachings and spreading them all over his empire and across continents. He sent his sons, daughters, ministers, monks and dhamma gurus and scholars to distant lands for spreading the words of the Buddha. A?oka established Viharas and Mahaviharas, erected (according to the records) eighty-four thousand big and small stupas (Chaityas) as also innumerable Pillar and Rock Edicts to record and pass on the message of the Buddha.
The holy relics of the Buddha that form the central object of worship in many Buddhist shrines in many parts of the world today is truly an A?okan gift. The mortal remains of the Buddha that were secured in a subterranean chamber built by king Ajatashatru at the behest of the aged Mahakassapa as a safeguard against vandals had been gradually erased from the memory of the people over the centuries. Had it not been for A?oka’s tireless efforts at unearthing the Buddha’s relics and housing them in chaityas (tope), the humankind today would have been shy of one of its venerable heritages. Two of the A?okan dhamma heritages ? A?oka Chakra (symbolising the Wheel of Dhamma that was set in motion by the Buddha with the delivery of his inaugural discourse on the practical aspect of the Middle Path doctrine to the pancha bhikkus at Sarnath, and the A?oka Stambha (the Lion Capital) ? are the two national emblems of the Republic of India. In choosing the two A?okan relics as her national emblems, modern India has paid scintillating tribute to her remarkable son ? A?oka, the Great.
Canonisation of A?oka
It is the standard practice of all religious bodies the world over that anyone who does contribute rather extraordinarily to the growth and popularity of one’s religious creed is gradually elevated in esteem within the sacrosanct precinct of that religion. Innumerable examples could be gleaned of such practices across the world covering every religion worth its name. One such example could be cited from the Tibetan Buddhism.
Buddhism was introduced to the seventh century Tibet when King Srong Tsen Gampo married the Chinese princess Wen Chen and the Nepalese princess Vrikuti. Since both the princesses were devout Buddhists, their entry into Tibet as the queens of the Tibetan king did start the pious unfurling of the teachings of the Buddha in the land called the Roof of the World. Over the period of a couple of centuries, the entire Tibetan plateau came to adopt Buddhism as their national religion. It is largely believed today that Wen Chen’s and Vrikuti’s dhamma efforts pulled out Tibet from its dark and obscure past to the new resurgent historic age.
As a sign of thankful gratitude towards the two princesses, the Tibetan Buddhism gallantly went ahead canonising the names of Wen Chen and Vrikuti within the folds of Tibet’s Lamaist Buddhism. As the “White Tara” (Sweta Tara) and the “Green Tara” (Harit Tara), the two princesses are adored and worshipped as female Bodhisattvas today.
While talking of contributions made towards the growth and popularity of Buddhism as a distinct religious creed as well as a peerless school of philosophy by all sorts of people over the passage of decades and centuries, it is to be remembered that Emperor A?oka’s dhamma efforts stand beyond and above all comparisons. Besides Buddhism, A?oka treated all other religions of the land with equal degree of respect and benediction. His Rock Edicts note grants of cave-dwelling rights to the ?j?vikan monks. He made similar gesture towards the Jainas and the tatvav?dins. However, Emperor A?oka’s noble initiatives towards establishing a human society based on the principles of love, compassion, and tolerance, which are any religion’s core syllabus, have not been formally acknowledged till date.
May be the time has come to do what was needed to have been done a long time ago ? canonise the name of A?oka as the principal architect of popularising Buddhism at the global stage and, thus, gifted the world one inestimable treasure in the form of Buddhism or the perennial philosophy of the Middle Path.
The actual task of canonising the name of Emperor A?oka would call for the World Buddhist Congregation, particularly the Southern (Therav?din) and the Northern (Mahayanic) Schools of Buddhism and their many branches to come forward and do the needful. However, as there is no any sign of the sort emanating from the two principal schools of Buddhism, the Government of India may like to come into the scene. Why because, A?oka is one illustrious son of Mother India.
The Proposal
As such, the Government of India under the astute leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi may kindly take the initiative of talking to and encouraging the Buddhist nations of the world as well as dhamma gurus of both the Theravada and the Mahayana schools of Buddhism to come forward for the purpose of canonising the name of Emperor A?oka. As the initiator of the idea, the Government of India may also offer to host any such programme aimed at further glorifying the name of A?oka thereby the name of the Indian nation as well.
As the birthplace of Buddhism, India should play a leadership role among the hosts of Buddhist nations of the world. In this respect, canonising the name of Emperor A?oka in the Buddhist pantheon could also be viewed as a nation building task of superlative magnitude.
Bhavatu Sabbe Mangalam.
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