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must place ourselves in imagination in the India of the sixth century B.C." (DP, Introduction, p. 26) and he makes his statement effective and forceful by a generalised corroborative statement, viz: "thinkers like other people are in no small measure rooted in time and place. The form in which they cast their ideas, no less than the ways in which they behave, are largely moulded by the habits of thought and action which they find around them. Great minds make individual contribution of permanent value to the thought of their age in which they live........ They do not cease to belong to their age, even when they are rising most above it." (DP, Introduction, p. 26). The latter part of this observation reminds one of what Hillabrandt said in the context of the Rgvedic poets, viz. "they stood above, but not outside the people.""
Apropos of the methodology and approach suggested by SR as in the above cited para, it may be observed from a literary point of view that he is fond of using the figure of speech Arthantaranyasa according to Sanskrit rhetorics, 10 according to which a particular statement is corroborated by a general statement and vice versa by similarity or dissimilarity.
The abovegoing prefatory remarks of SR show his sympathetic and appreciative approach. This is further confirmed, when he observes that "he (i.e. Buddha, bracket ours) suffered as much as any one from critics without a sense of history". (DP., Introduction, p. 26).
He speaks also very highly of the DP by pointing out that it "is the most popular and influential book of Buddhist cannonical literature" (DP, Preface, and it has appeal to the modern mind, as "the central thesis of the book" is "that human conduct, righteons behaviour, reflection and meditation are more important than vain speculations about the transcendent. (DP, Preface. p.V) He, further, observes that "its teaching-to repress instincts entirely is to generate neuroses" to give them full rein is also to end up in neuroses is supported by modern psychology." (DP, Preface, p.V). How mildy and aptly SR brings out a modern relevant parallel !
SR is an Advaitin in his own way, but he possesses a spirit of tolerance, catholicity and sympathy. And this magnanimity of thinking and love coupled with critical accumen for one of the founder-philosophers of India is noticeable in his Selection of "Gautama the Buddha" as the theme of his "Annual Lecture on the 'Master Mind" under the auspices of the Henriette Hertz Trust. "He pays a rich tribute to Gautama, the Buddha, by pointing out that in" Gautama, the Buddha we have a master mind from the east, second to none, so far as the influence on the thought and life of the human race is concerned and sacred to all as the founder of
