New Horizons of Buddhism In Odisha

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Research in history is a careful knowledge in human heritage in general. It requires a very high degree of objectivity, commitment and responsibility, on the part of the scholar. At the time of Gautam Buddha, in the post-Mahabharat era major political and economic changes were occurring in north and central India and the old system of social and economic classes had started disintegrating. The Brahman priestly class had lost much of its old prestige.

The religion of the Vedas with its worship of nature and natural phenomena did not have as much appeal left as in earlier times. A influential traders class was coming up in many places, particularly in urban areas.

Buddha is a Sanskrit word meaning the 'wise' and the 'enlightened'. What the word "Buddha" stood for in those days was more profound and extensive than these two words. In essence, buddha even today means a person who embodies buddhi i.e. wisdom. The function of knowledge, wisdom and their application means enlightenment. The Buddhist dharma or principle stands for infinite wisdom and enlightenment, participation of all beings and laws in life and the Universe.

Dr. Ajit Kumar Tripathy topper of the 1973 batch in IAS was allotted Odisha cadre and retired as Chief Secretary, Odisha in 2009. For five years thereafter he was the State Election Commissioner, Odisha. He has to his credit a number of publications in Odia and English on historical analysis and cultural history. He and Prafulla Chandra Tripathy have jointly authored "Gitagovinda of Shri Jayadeva" published by Publication Division, Government of India, the translation of Meghadutam of Kalidasa in English verse has been published. He writes short stories in Odia and so far five compilations have been published.

He was awarded Ph.D. from Ulkal University in Political Science and D. Litt. from North Odisha University for his reseach work on Jayadeva and Gitagovinda.

Dr. Prafulla Chandra Tripathy retired as a Senior Class-I Officer of Government of Odisha, is known as a history scholar in the State and outside. He is a poet, a prolific writer and columnist on contemporary affairs and a socio-cultural activist. He has represented the State in a number of national and inter-national Seminars, on Jayadeva, Kalidasa and Gautam Buddha. He awarded D. Litt. from North Odisha University for his research work on Jayadeva and Gita govinda.

Dr. Chandra Bhanu Patel, who retired as Superintendent of Odisha State Museum is an eminent scholar in history and archaeology. He has to his credit a number of books and publications. He has represented the State and the country in many national and international seminars. He has conducted a number of excavations in the State. He was awarded Ph.D. for his research in odisha History by Utkal University.

History is generally understood as the study of the accounts of past events. It is taken as a systematic account of the origin and progress of the world, a nation, an institution, etc. More specifically, it is the academic discipline of understanding or interpreting past events, a course of events, a life story etc. In tact it is about such past which is of more than common interest and a drama representing historical even, etc. Research in history is a careful and systematic investigation towards increasing the sum of knowledge in human heritage regarding .own and unknown facts and events, as well as, persons.

Buddha is a title applied to Sakyamuni or Gautam, the founder of a religion of peace and spiritual purity. Buddha without a capital 'B' is used as a general name for anyone of a series of teachers of whom he is one. A buddha is one who is wise, who understands, is awakened and enlightened. Many superhuman attributes were ascribed to the Buddha in numerous legends floated in different periods of history, including stories that there were many more than one Buddha.

When we search for actual biographical history contained in the various reports of his life, we come across innumerable difficulties, particularly for the period of his early life. The Renunciation and Enlightment as well as his public career till the Mahaparinirvana do not present serious difficulties so far as isolation of biographical elements is concerned. As regards his early life, however, from birth to renunciation, we find great variations in the Pali and Sanskrit accounts. References to his ancestry, parentage, place of his birth and the period of his childhood and youth have so many stories and legends webbed into them that it becomes difficult to believe as to whether we are discussing a human being or a fictitious hero of mythology.

Archaeology has been a valuable instrument to ascertain .historical facts and to determine their accuracy. There is often a tendency to bank upon archaeology exclusively for arriving at historical truths where recorded history is either absent or mind- boggling. Archaeology is the study of ancient people through their material remains, usually. discovered by excavation. Human history and prehistory are studied through the excavation of sites and analysis of physical remains. It is one of the authentic methods of study of ancient cultures and civilisations.

There are occasions and instances in history, however, where archaeology has been applied by non-experts and motivated experts who perhaps have an exe to grind or a name to ma.. They reach conclusions first and then search for evidences. If they do not find any, they create them. Such so-called archaeologists cause more damage than even those who web the stories and write fantastic fictitious things about the lives of saints and historic persons.

Gautam Buddha the historic person has suffered greatly both at the hands of such 'archaeologists", as well as, the story writers. The purpose of this book is to isolate as far as possible some of the findings of such archaeologists and other perpetrators of myth to arrive at some basic truths about Gautam Buddha who was very much a historical person, a prophet, a realized soul and for those who believe, an incarnation of God.

Authors wish to record their sincere gratitude to all the historians, archaeologists and writers, who have provided the source materials for this book. We have provided extensive quotations so that we do not add to the confusion of stating the truth contain in those learned findings through our own language and be blamed for pushing our own conclusions. In this way it is a non-conventional book because it has put together findings of some eminent historians, archaeologists and research scholars who had the guts to tell the truth boldly whenever they found it. They have not created tales to fill up gaps which they could not bridge.

One dark area in historical research has so far been the identification of the birth place of Gautam Buddha. The birthplace is yet to be ascertained by historians and archaeologists in an authentic manner with concrete evidences. So far, two places namely Rumindei in the Nepalese Tarai and Kapilesvar, then located one kilometer away and now within the city limits of the temple city of Bhubaneswar, capital of Odisha, have been considered and documented as the possible birth places of Lord Buddha on the basis of an edict discovered to have been installed by the Mauryan Emperor Asoka in his 20th regnal year. In the edict, two editions of which have been located, it has been mentioned that Lumbini, the birth place of the great Sakya was made free of revenue in honour of the worship of Buddha by Asoka, whereas a tax of one-eighth was fixed earlier on the people of the area.

**Contents and Sample Pages**