Hindi Writers’ Perspectives on Buddhism in a Multicultural Society: A Study of the Works of Bhikshu Ananda Kausalyayan and Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan

Authors

  • Kittipong Boonkerd South Asian Languages Section, Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University

Keywords:

Modern Hindi literature, Neo-Buddhist Movement, Dalit, Bhikshu Ananda Kausalyayan, Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan

Abstract

This article aims to study the factors that inspired Bhikshu Ananda Kausalyayan and Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan, modern Hindi writers from Hindu families, to turn their attention to the study of Buddhism, the manners in which they acquired knowledge of Buddhism, and the ways that their works reflect their perspectives on Buddhism. The study focuses solely on their original non-fiction literatures. It finds that the need for social reform was an important factor that drove both writers to become interested in Buddhism and to subsequently bring the knowledge that they had acquired in Sri Lanka and Tibet back to India. Both writers traced India’s social problems back to the caste system. They therefore joined Dr. Ambedkar’s Neo-Buddhist Movement and clearly confirmed that only Buddhist principles can bring about solutions to the caste system. Their literary works in Hindi were the main medium used to disseminate knowledge in order to reform and create new social meanings for India, and to inspire unity in India’s multicultural society.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

कौसल्यायन, आनन्द. (2000). बुद्ध और उनके अनुचर. दिल्ली: भारतीय बौद्ध महासभा.

कौसल्यायन, आनन्द. (2000). मनुस्मृति जलाई गई क्यों. दिल्ली: सम्यक प्रकाशन.

कौसल्यायन, आनन्द. (2012). तथागत. दिल्ली: सम्यक प्रकाशन.

कौसल्यायन, आनन्द. (2015). भिक्षु के पत्र. दिल्ली: सम्यक प्रकाशन.

कौसल्यायन, आनन्द. (2015). यदि बाबा न होते. दिल्ली: सम्यक प्रकाशन.

कौसल्यायन, आनन्द. (2016). वर्ण व्यवस्था या मरण व्यवस्था. दिल्ली: सम्यक प्रकाशन.

कौसल्यायन, आनन्द. (2018). बौद्धधर्म एक बुद्धिवादी अध्ययन. दिल्ली: सम्यक प्रकाशन.

फालके, केशव. (2016). राष्ट्रीय एकता की कड़ी हिंदी भाषा और साहित्य. वर्धा: राष्ट्रभाषा प्रचार समिति.

बौद्ध, शांति स्वरूप. (2015). महापंडित राहुल सांकृत्यायन. दिल्ली: सम्यक प्रकाशन.

सांकृत्यायन, राहुल. (1976). मानव समाज. इलाहाबाद: लोकभारती प्रकाशन.

सांकृत्यायन, राहुल. (2002). मेरी जीवन यात्रा भाग-2. दिल्ली: राधाकृष्ण प्रकाशन.

सांकृत्यायन, राहुल. (2012). बुद्ध का दर्शन. दिल्ली: वाणी प्रकाशन.

सांकृत्यायन, राहुल. (2014). बुद्ध के मूल सिद्धांत. दिल्ली: सम्यक प्रकाशन.

सांकृत्यायन, राहुल. (2015). नवदीक्षित बौद्ध. दिल्ली: सम्यक प्रकाशन.

सांकृत्यायन, राहुल. (2019). महामानव बुद्ध. दिल्ली: सम्यक प्रकाशन.

सावंत, साताप्पा शामराव. (1996). भदंत आनंद कौसल्यायन के साहित्य का अनुशीलन. कोल्हापुर: शिवाजी विश्वविद्यालय.

Downloads

Published

2021-12-30

How to Cite

Boonkerd, K. (2021). Hindi Writers’ Perspectives on Buddhism in a Multicultural Society: A Study of the Works of Bhikshu Ananda Kausalyayan and Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan. Journal of Buddhist Studies Chulalongkorn University, 28(3), 37–84. Retrieved from https://so02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/jbscu/article/view/245533

Issue

Section

Research Articles