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FOREWORD
OLY
succession and not at one time. Sugata can be said to be omniscient as he did not say anything that is contained in the Vedas which are nothing but the repositories of impossible and absurd statements. Kapila, Vardhamana, etc. cannot be called omniscient in the same sense as Sugata because we have proved their doctrines to be false in previous examinations. Sugata must be called omniscient, as he first formulated the doctrine of the voidness of the universe which we have proved to be correct.
2. The Sugata, who actuated by his spontaneons sense of compassion instruct us on the voidness of the universe and whose burden of the song always is
Partksya bhiksavo gráhyam madvaco na tu gauravát.
"Oh Bhiksus you should accept my words always after careful examination but not out of regard for me"-how can he have the intention of deceiving others? It is easy to say however that your Manu, etc. who wanted their Vedas and Purâņas always to be honoured by others and who forced their ideas on others, tried only to cheat them. Further, what do you mean by low class people when we have persistently refuted the Jâti or class? On the contrary what are your Samskaras, etc.! They are nothing but clear foolishness. More instructions to the S'ûdras on the part of the Sugata shows that he had more compassion for those who were completely ignorant. He never cared for the castes, he simply wanted to help others.
3. We do not say that the tenth Bhumi is adiffer ent region, but we hold that one remains in the condition of a Bodhisattva up to the tenth Bhumi. Beyond it is the Bhumi of a Buddha. So Bhagavan can speak even after reaching the stage of a Buddha, owing to his unbounded compassion for the suffering humanity. We still maintain that whenever Buddha enters into meditations all the surroundings speak out his views. It is quite likely because these surroundings develop great powers when they come in contact with the Buddha. Whatever the Buddha thinks during his meditations is tranmitted to the surroundings, and they are
