Acharya Narendra Dev
(1889-1956)
Bauddha-Dharna-Darshan
(Bihar Rashtrabhasha Parishad, Patna; 1956)
(Sahitya Academy Awardee-Hindi-1957)
"This is the last published work of the late Acharya Narendra Dev, distinguished scholar, educationist and Socialist leader. Born in 1880 in Sitapur (Uttar Pradesh), Acharya Narendra Dev combined in himself the best virtues of the old and new generation. A valiant fighter for India's freedom and one of the founders of the Socialist Party of India, he was a scholar, writer and educationist of rare distinction. He founded the Kasi Vidya Peeth and was Vice-Chancellor of Lucknow and Banaras Universities and a Member of Parliament. BauddhaDharna-Darshan is a masterly survey of the development of Buddhist metaphysics and logic." (Citation)
Running into twenty five chapters in five sections, Bauddha Dharna-Darshan sheds light on almost all aspects of Buddhism. In the first chapter of section I, the author presents authentic material for a historical study of the origin and growth of Buddhism. It includes a detailed account of the life of Gautam, the Buddha. The discussion of the evolution of the ‘nikayas’ and the spiritual practices in respect of Sthaviravada are also included in Section I. In the five chapters of section II, we find detailed discussions on the origin and growth of the Mahayana sect and its philosophy, on the evolution of its literature and the spiritual performances linked therewith. Section III comprises a detailed study of the general principles of Buddhist Philosophy. Section IV introduces the four prasthana of Buddhism on the basis of authentic Buddhist works and makes a comparative study of other religions vis-:a-vis Buddhism.
The work is based on intensive as well as extensive study of source books in Pali, Prakrit and Sanskrit. The preface-Writer M.M. Gopinath Kaviraj has unhesitatingly assented that a profound, authentic and penetrating study on Buddhist religion and philosophy which may stand a comparison with the work under review is not available in any of the Indian languages.
A special feature of the present work is a comparative and contrastive study of the Indian Vedic Religion and Buddhism in an appropriate context. And the author has been quite dispassionate and impartial in this comparison. In a comparison of theistic philosophies with Buddhism, likewise, the author heralds a tradition of philosophical analysis. Acharya fills another important gap when he introduces the pioneering masters of the Buddhism System about whom we find no relevant mention except in Pali literature.
While introducing Buddhist literature, the author dwells on Buddhist-hybridized Sanskrit. For the first time, we find an elaborate description of Lalivistar of the literature of Aswaghosha of the Avadan literature, of Mahayana Sutre, etc. In the Introduction to Buddhist Philosophy, the author takes up all relevant theories of causation for analytical study. A profound and authoritative discussion on the nature of ‘Nirvana’ also finds a place.
In brief, the present volume is unparalleled if one seeks to know the quintessence of Buddhist religion and philosophy from an authentic source. M.M.Gopinath Kaviraj's assessment of each chapter of the book in his introduction proves that prior to Acharya no scholar had ever ventured to write on a profound subject as this in such a thorough and elaborate manner. It is, undoubtedly, a great achievement, a fragrant offering to the Goddess of learning.
V. Snatak
(Source: Sahitya Academy Awards – Books and Writers – 1955-1978
Published by Sahitya Academy. ISBN 81 7201 014 1)
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