182 / அயோத்திதாசர் சிந்தனைகள்
people is a Herculean task. If we have to proceed with this extremely difficult task with any measure of success, what is most needed is the sympathy and co-operation of all Buddhists true and honest. Alas! on this side of caste-ridden India we can scarcely find such honest men. With some the denomination “Buddhist” serves as a spell to charm, and easily insinuate into the confidence of the guileless masses.
These so called leaders who pretend to work for the regeneration of the unfortunate brethren betray themselves by their actions which show beyond the shadow of a doubt that they still fondly cling to the vain distinctions of caste and care more for them than for Brotherhood or Nirvana. Of course the scientific knowledge, which has been easily acquired by a study of the works of western scientists, enables them to talk glibly of the scientific religion (Buddhism) in newspapers and on public platforms, but it cannot give them that moral courage which one must possess to act up to one's moral convictions. How can we safely accept such men as our guides or co-workers?
Are we then going to give up our work in despair? No we will push on the work in face of great odds, until we can gain the sympathy and co-operation of our trusted friends, the brother Buddhists of scientific researches living in the far off countries of Europe and America where the Law is being preached by educated, earnest disciples of our Lord Buddha. They are the men who have made a deep study of pure Buddhism for its own sake, whose learning has convinced them that the Buddha's philosophy is a philosophy which reconciles every thing in nature — a conflict between Buddhism and Science is impossible and who now greatly wonder that in those far off days in meditative solitude the Buddha should have seen without extraneous help what has now been found only after deep research by clever scientists with the aid of wonderfully contrived instruments. It is then a matter of great relief for the conductors of the infant S.B. Societies in Southern India, who have been walking through slippery places with trembling feet, to find that just at this critical time Buddhist Centres have been formed in several European countries and missionary bodies are being organised.
We therefore earnestly appeal in all hope and confidence to those really learned and generous-hearted Buddhists of the West for their generous contribution, and fervently pray that they will be so kind as to take-up our cause and in time send to our relief duly organised missionary bodies composed of, if possible, Pali Scholars well versed in all branches of oriental as well as occidental lore. We can assure them that the field of operation is wide and has been well prepared for sowing the seed of the Dhamma with the prospect of an abundant harvest.
May the grace of the omniscient Lord Buddha be with us!
Sabbadanam Dhammadanam Jenati.
General Secretary,
PANDIT C. IYOTHEE DOSS,
DATE OF LORD BUDDHA'S BIRTH
It is well known to all students of history that the Buddha, Sakya Muni is the first and the eldest of all Founders of Religion; and it is equally well known that He was born in the Royal house of the Sakyas. It is a pity that there should be uncertainty as to the date of birth of the historic Buddha the founder of the greatest of the world religions. Those scholars
