Vol. 17, Part III · pages 566–570

537THE BUDDHA...............THE WORLD Religion is absolutely essential for the development of mankind. I know that one sect came into existence after reading Karl Marx. According to them religion is futile. They do not have importance of religion. In the morning they get breakfast containing bread, cream, butter, chicken leg etc. full meal, sound sleep, to see movies; and that is all. That is their philosophy. I am not of that opinion. My father was poor; I could not get such kind of luxuries. Nobody has ever lived a life as hard as mine. Therefore, I have a realisation that how hard a man’s life can be in the absence of luxuries. I know that economic elevation movement is necessary. I am not against that movement. Man must progress financially. But I make an important distinction in this matter. There is a difference between buffalo, bull and man. Buffalo and bull need fodder every day. Man also needs food. But the difference in between the two is that buffalo and bull have no mind; man has body and mind too. Therefore, both should be pondered over. The mind should be developed. The mind should be cultured. It should be made cultured. I do not want to have any sort of relationship with such country or people who say that there is no relation between man and cultured mind except the food. As to keep relationship with people man should have sound body in the same way while making the body healthy, the mind should also be cultured. Otherwise, it cannot be said that mankind has been progressed. Why man’s body or mind is ill ? The reasons are, either his body is diseased or his mind has no enthusiasm. If there is no enthusiasm in mind there is no progress. Why is not this enthusiasm there ? The first reason is that man has been kept in such a way that he does not get any opportunity or he has no hope to rise. That time, how will he remain enthusiastic ? He remains diseased. The man who gets the fruit of his deeds can get enthusiasm. Otherwise a teacher in a school started saying, “ Hey, who is this ? He is a Mahar. And will this wretched Mahar get through in first class ? For what he wants first class ? Be in third class only—to get in first class is Brahmin’s claim. Under these circumstances, what enthusiasm the boy will get ? How can he progress ? The root of creating enthusiasm is in mind, whose body and mind also are healthy, who is courageous, who has confidence in surmounting all adversities,

538 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES in him only enthusiasm is generated and he only excels. Such a strange philosophy has been incorporated in the Hindu religion which can never promote enthusiasm. Circumstances making man unenthusiastic have been maintained for thousands of years, then at the most such people will be produced who would fill their stomach by clerical jobs. What else will happen ? To protect these clerks, a big clerk is needed. The reason behind man’s enthusiasm is mind. You know the owners of mills. They appoint managers for their mills and get the works done in the mills through their managers. Mill owners are involved in some or the other bad habits, their minds have not been developed culturally. We started a movement to infuse enthusiasm in our minds, then the education would be started. I began my education by wearing a loin-cloth. I could not get even water to drink in the school. I spent many days without water in the school. The same situation was maintained even in the Elphinston College in Bombay. If such is the situation, what else conditions will be created. Only clerks will be produced. Lord Linlithgow was the Viceroy when I was in the Executive Council of Delhi. I said to him, “In addition to the normal expenditure, you spend Rs. Three lac on the Aligarh University for the education of the Muslims. In the same way you give Rs. Three lac to the Banaras Hindu University. But we are neither Hindus nor Muslims. If you think of doing something for us, then thousand times more than them should be done. Do at least as much for us as Muslims.” Then Lord Linlithgow said, “Whatever you have to say give me in writing.” Accordingly I prepared a memorandum. That manuscript is still with me. Europeans were very sympathetic. They accepted my proposal. The problem was on which item the money had to spend. They thought that, our girls are not educated, they should be provided with education. Boarding be started for them, and the money should be spent on that. If our girls are provided education and made educated, where, at home, is the material to cook various types of dishes? What is the end result of their education ? The Government spent the money on other heads and withheld the amount for education. Therefore, one day I went to Lord Linlithgow and regarding the expenditure on education I said, “If you do not get angry, I would like to ask you a question. I am alone equal to fifty graduates,

539THE BUDDHA...............THE WORLD Aren’t I ? He had to accept it. Again I asked him, “What is the reason of it?” He said, “We do not know the reason.” I said, “My learning is so great that I could sit on the pinnacle of the palace. I want such men. Because, from there, one can make overall surveillance. If our people are to be protected, then such sharp eyed men should be created. What can a mere clerk do? At the very moment Lord Linlithgow was convinced by my words and sixteen men were sent to England for higher education. Just as some earthen pots are half-baked and some are baked, of those sixteen some are half-baked and some are baked-this is different matter ! Later on C. Rajgopalachari cancelled this scheme of higher education. In this country, such situation prevails that will make us unethusiastic for thousands of years to come. Till this situation exists, there cannot be enthusiasm for our progress. In this regard we cannot do anything by remaining in this religion. There is Chaturvrana in Manusmruti. Chaturvrana system is very harmful for the progress of mankind. It has been mentioned in the Manusmruti that Shudras should do only menial service. Why do they need education ? The Brahmin should take education, Kshatriya should take up arms, Vaishya should do business and Shudra should serve. Who will unfold this system? Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaishya have some gain, but what about Shudras? Will there be any enthusiasm in other castes except these three varnas ? This Chaturvarna System is not haphazardly ; this is not a custom; this is the religion. There is no equality in the Hindu religion. Once I had been to Mr. Gandhi, he said, “I believe in Chaturvarna”? I said, “Mahatmas like you believe in Chaturvarna ! But what is this Chaturvarna and how is this ? (Dr. Ambedkar expressed this by showing his hand fingers one upon another as well as keeping palm in flat position.) This Chaturvarna is whether up or flat ? from where the Chaturvarna begins and where does it end ? Gandhiji did not answer this question and what answer can he give? Those who ruined us, also be perished by this religion. I do not accuse this Hindu religion unnecessarily. Nobody will prosper by the Hindu religion. That religion itself is a ruinous religion.

540 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Why did our country go under the rule of foreignsers? Till 1945 Europe witnessed the wars. In whatever number soldiers were killed that number was filled by new recruitment. That time nobody could say that we had won the war. Everything is altogether different of our country. If Kshatriyas are killed, we are doomed. Had we right to possess the arms, this country would not have gone in servitude. No one could have been able to conquer this country. By remaining in the Hindu religion nobody can prosper in any way. Because of the stratification in Hindu religion, it is fact that higher varnas and castes are benefitted. But, what about the others? The moment Brahmin woman delivers a child, her eyes are focussed towards a post of High Court Judge where it is lying vacant. On the contrary, when our sweeper woman delivers a child, her eyes are focussed on a post of sweeper where it is lying vacant. The Varna-System of Hindu religion is responsible for such a strange social structure. What improvement can take place from this? Prosperity can be achieved only in the Buddhist religion. In the Buddhist religion 75% Bhikkhus were Brahmins. 25% were the Shudras and others. But the Lord Buddha said, “O, Bhikkhus, you have come from different countries and castes. Rivers flow separately when they flow in their provinces, but they lose their identity when they meet the sea. They become one and the same. The Buddhist Sangh is like an ocean. In this Sangh all are equal. “After they merge into the ocean, it is not possible to identify the water of Ganga or Mahanadi. Similarly when we join Buddha Sangh, we lose our caste and become equal. There is only one Great Man who preached such equality, and that Great Man is Lord Buddha. (Thunderous applause). Some people say, “Why did you take so much time to get converted ? What were you doing all these days? This is the question of importance. Convincing a religion is not an easy task. That is not the mission of a single person. Any person thinking of religion will come to know this. No man in the world shoulder as much responsibility as do I. If I get a long life, I will fulfill my planned work. (Shouts of ‘long live Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’)”.

541THE BUDDHA...............THE WORLD Some people will say what will happen if Mahar becomes Buddhist. I tell them they should not say so. It will be dangerous for them. Higher and wealthy class will not feel the necessity of religion. The officers among them have bungalows to live in, servants to serve them, they have money, wealth and respect, the men of such sort need not think of religion or to be worried about it. Religion is necessary for the poor. Religion is necessary for the Depressed people. The poor man survives on hope. The root of life lies in hope. What will happen to the life if the hope is lost? Religion makes hopeful, and gives a message to the depressed and the poor—do not be afraid, life will be hopeful, it will be! Therefore, the poor and the depressed mankind clings to the religion. When the Christian religion entered Europe, the condition of Rome and neighbouring countries was very distressful. People could not get enough food. That time hotch potch (Khichadi) was distributed among the poor people. Who became the followers of the Christ? Poor and Depressed people. The poor and lower class people of Europe became Christian. Gibbon had said that Christianity is the religion of beggars. Gibbon is not alive to give the answer to how Christian religion became the religion of all in Europe, otherwise he would have had to answer this. Some people will say that this Buddhism is the religion of Maharas and Mangas. The Brahmin people used to call Lord Gautam as ‘Bho Gautam’ means ‘Are Gautam’. In this way the Brahmins used to tease the Lord Buddha. They have to see how many idols of Rama, Krishna and Shankara will be sold out in the foreign countries, if they are put to sale. On the contrary, if the idols of Lord Buddha are kept for sale, not a single idol will be left out (Loud clapping). That is too much in India, go and show something outside, the name known to the world is of the Lord Buddha. Then how the propagation of this religion will be prevented ! We will follow our path, you follow yours. We have found a new path. This is the day of hope. This is the path of elevation and progress. This is not the new path. This path has not been borrowed from any where. This path is from here, it is purely