Vol. 17, Part III · pages 551–555

522 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The second obstacle is that, the Indian Society is disabled by unity in action by not being able to know what is its common good. Plato has said that the organization of society depends ultimately upon knowledge of the end of existence. If we do not know its end, if we do not know its good, we shall be at the mercy of accident and caprice. Unless we know the good of the end, we have no criterion for rationally deciding what the possibilities are which we should promote. Question is, can the Indian Society in its caste-bound state achieve what is the ultimate question? We come upon the most insuperable obstacle that such knowlege is not possible save in a just and harmonious social order. Can there be a harmonious Social Order under the Caste System? Everywhere the mind of the Indians is distracted and misled by false valuations and false perspectives. A disorganised and factional society sets up number of different models and standards. Under such conditions it is impossible for individual Indian to reach consistency of mind on the question of caste. Can education destroy caste ? The answer is ‘Yes’ as well as ‘No’. If education is given as it is to-day, education can have no effect on caste. It will remain as it will be. The glaring example of it is the Brahmin Caste. Cent percent of it is educated, nay, majority of it is highly educated. Yet not one Brahmin has shown himself to be against caste. Infact an educated person belonging to the higher caste is more interested after his education to retain the Caste System than when he was not educated. For education gives him an additional interest in the retention of the Caste System namely by opening additional opportunity of getting a bigger job. From this point of view, education is not helpful as means to dissolve caste. So far is the negative side of education. But education may be solvent if it is applied to the lower strata of the Indian Society. It would raise their spirit of rebellion. In their present state of ignorance they are the supporters of the Caste System. Once their eyes are opened they will be ready to fight the Caste System. The fault of the present policy is that though education is being given on a larger scale, it is not given to the right strata of Indian Society. If you give education to that strata of Indian Society which has a vested interest in maintaining the Caste System for the

523PROSPECTS.............IN INDIA advantages it gives them, then the Caste System will be strengthened. On the other hand, if you give education to the lowest strata of Indian Society which is interested in blowing up the Caste System, the Caste System will be blown up. At the moment the indiscriminate help given to education by the Indian Government and American Foundation is going to strengthen the Caste System. To make rich richer and poor poorer is not the way to abolish poverty. The same is true of using education as a means to end the Caste System. To give education to those who want to keep up the Caste System is not to improve the prospect of Democracy in India but to put our Democracy in India in greater jeopardy. 26, Alipur Road, New Delhi, Dated : 20th May 1956. Sd / B. R. Ambedkar zz

158 THE BUDDHA DHAMMA WILL BE THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD Dr. B. R. Ambedkar declared his conversion to Buddhism through a statement issued from New Delhi. The Statement is as follows— 26, Alipore Road, Civil Lines, Delhi. 23rd September 1956. The date and place of my conversion to Buddhism has now been finally fixed. It will take place at Nagpur on the Dussehra* day i.e. 14th October 1956. The ceremony of conversion will take place between 9 and 11 a.m. and in the evening of the same day I will address the gathering. Dr. B. R. AMBEDKAR, 23rd September 1956.” The programme was published in detail in ‘Prabuddha Bharat’ Weekly. It was informed that those who are desirous of converting, should be above 18 years of age. 1 The complete responsibility of the organizing this conversion programme was delegated to ‘Indian Buddhist Council’, Nagpur branch. Accordingly, Mr. W. M. Godbole, Secretary of the committee, published a handbill as follows :— “Mass Conversion Revered Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, the Founder and President of Buddhist Society of India shall embrace Buddhism at the ceremony to be held at Nagpur at 8 a. m. on the Vijaya Dashmi day-Sunday, the 14th October 1956. Venerable Bhikkhu Chandramani Maha Thera of Burma, now in India, shall perform the ceremony. * Ashoka Vijaya Dashmi. 1. : Prabuddha Bharat, 29th September 1956.

525THE BUDDHA...............THE WORLD People desirous of getting themselves converted shall be able to do so at the very ceremony, and shall be required to wear clean and white garments. Appeal For Funds In this benevolent ceremony the people, it is hoped, shall participate in lacs; and shall render every possible aid to the local branch of the Bharatiya Bouddha Jana Samiti to whom the revered Baba has entrusted the task of managing this great ceremony. While rendering the financial aid to the local benevolents shall insist on having receipts of the Samiti concerned. Outsiders will kindly remit money by money order. Those who want to volunteer themselves to assist the management of the celebrations shall see the undersigned on or before the 30th September 1956. W. M. GODBOLE, Secretary, Bharatiya Bouddha Jana Samiti Dated, (Nagpur Branch), Kothari Mansion, The 21st September 1956. Sitabuldi, Nagpur.” 1 Dr. B. R. Ambedkar through a letter requested Reverend Bhikkhu Chandramani to perform the Conversion Ceremony. The letter is as follows : “26, Alipur Road, Delhi the 24th September 1956. Reverend Bhikku Chandramani, Kushenara, Gorakhpur District, Uttar Pradesh. Reverend Bhante, This is to inform you that I and my wife have decided to embrace Buddhism. The ceremony is to take place at Nagpur on the 14th of October, 1956. The time of the ceremony is 1. : Wamanrao Godbole, P. 266.

526 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES fixed in the morning between 9 and 11. It is our great wish that you should officiate at the ceremony. You being the oldest Buddhist Monk in India we think it would be appropriate to have the ceremony performed by you. We realise that your physical condition may make it difficult for you to go to Nagpur but we can manage to provide the transport from Kushenara to Nagpur either by air or by train and all other arrangements for your living in Nagpur. We can send some one to take you from Kushenara to Nagpur. Please let us know whether you can accept the invitation of ours. With kind regards. Your sincerely, (Signed) B. R. AMBEDKAR.” 1 On the eve of this occasion ‘Prabuddha Bharat’ published a special supplement on 12th October 1956. “It was informed that this programme is free to all but the committee requested them to become member by paying one rupee as subscription. The responsibility of the expenses was to be borne by the people of Nagpur. The reception committee membership fee was Rs. 25 and it was open to all. It was informed that the registration for the conversion begins from 11th October 1956 and the office will work even at the place of conversion. Two tickets were issued to all the registered delegates which were useful for the entry at the conversion place. The volunteers were directed to come in white half pant and white shirt. Mr. K. V. Umre, Mr. Sacchindand Manke and Mr. R. R. Patil were entrusted with the responsibility to guide the Volunteers coming from outside Nagpur.” Looking into the demand of the people a special train was arranged by the Railways to carry the people from Bombay to Nagpur. This train was to start on 12th October 1956 at 9.15 p.m. from Bombay V. T. and accordingly a notice was published by railway authorities. In spite of this, all the trains going to Nagpur were full of people. On every station wherever these trains stopped more and more people entered the trains. 1. : Khairmode, Vol. 12, P. 48.