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DR. RADHAKRISHNAN ON BUDDHISM : A GLANCE
S. G. Kantawala
India is a land of diverse religious faiths and creeds expounding various paths to reach the Ultimate as per the diversity of tastes. Buddhism is one of the religions that has its origin in India and spread from India and its slow disappearance in India and spread over the neighbouring countries. In its growth and development with its catholic and absorbent character Hinduism has included Buddha in its list of "ten incarnations" (dašūvatāras). Buddhism has not only left its impact on the vedānta philosophy, but it "has left a permanent mark on the culture of India",
Several scholars have written on Buddha and Buddhism and the literature thereon is still growing. Amongst the celebrated writers thereon is Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan (=SR) (1888 A.D.-1975 A.D.). He was an illustrious scholar-statesman, diplomat, politician, educationist and an "academical philosopher." and as such he is "the most widely known philosopher."+ Of all the contemporary philosophers of modern India. The world owes to him many standard works on religion and philosophy and *4here are very few scholars like luim who grasped the spirit of the Eastern and Western thought alike."
As there is a plethora of literature on Buddhist religion and philosophy, we do not repeat the tenets and teachings of Buddhist religion and philosophy, but it is proposed, here, to evaluate the exposition of the Buddhist religion and philosophy by SR. He has referred to and discussed the Buddhist philosophy and religion in his various works which make an interesting and informative reading; but in this paper references are restricted to his (i) Indian Philosophy, vol. I, (=IP) London, 1956; (ii) Gautama, the Buddha (Proceedings of the British Academy Vol. XXIV), which is his “Annual Lecture" on a "Master Mind" delivered on 28 June, 1938. It is reprinted in his edition of the "Dhammapada" (EDP) (OUP, 1950) and (iii) Dhammapada (DP) (OUP, 1950).
For ready reference it inay be noted that he discusses the Buddhist religion and philosophy in two chapters of the IP, viz. (i) Chapter VII : Ethical Idealism of Early Buddhism, pp. 341 ff. and (ii) Chapter X: Buddhism as a Religion, pp. 581 ff. The "Appendix" (pp. 671 ff) in the IP discusses also some problems of Buddhism. The foot-notes in the respective chapters and the Appendix are learned, comparative and critical and this aspect is enhanced by "References" at the end of respective chapters. SR has "tried to keep in close touch with the documents, give
