QUESTIONS ON DHAMMA

Buddhism-2010
Q1. What is doctrine?
A. The Wheel of law(Dhammachakra) – the Four noble Truths, Sorrow, Cause of Sorrow, Extinction of the Cause of Sorrow and the Eightfold path to the Extinction of the cause of Sorrow set rolling by The Buddha at the deer garden of Ishipatana, (abode of sage), modern Sarnanath near Varanasi is the doctrine.
Q2. Where was he born?
A. He was born in Lumbini forest on western bank of The Rohini River, when her mother was on her way to Debdha. The Emperor Asoka raised an inscribed pillar on the spot that had left incontrovertible evidence of the place of birth of the Buddha. The inscription on the pillar however does not mention Kapilvastu- the capital of the Sakya tribal republic of which his father was the king.
Q3. Where is the site of Kapilavastu?
The Archaeological Survey of India(ASI) has identified Piprawah in Sidharnathnagar District of Uttarpradesh as the site of Kapilavastu city on the basis of an inscription and ruins of a city. The inscription mentions Bhiksu Sangha of Kapilavastu.
“This year’s excavation resulted in the discovery of thirty-one terracotta sealings , giving a clue to the location of ancient Kapilavastu, the capital of the Sakyas. The sealings( pl.XXXVA), found in one of the verandahs of the eastern monastery, at a depth ranging between 1.05 to 1.55 m, are inscribed in Brahmi characters of the first- second century A.D. There are two legends on the sealings, one reading Om Devaputra Vihare Kapilavastu Bhiksha Sangahasa. With a quadrangular plan, the monastery (pl. XXXVI) has a central courtyard with brick flooring ( pl.XXXV B ) enclosed by verandah and cells all round. There are in all thirty-three cells in the monastery with an entrance on the west. The sealings precisely indicate that the monastery in which they have been found belonged to the order of the monks of Kapilavastu. It could be inferred therefrom that the ancient city of Kapilavastu must be in the immediate neighbourhood of the stupa and the monastery.” (Indian Archaeology 1972- 73,A Review,1978, p.33.)
“The proximity to the ancient site of Pipraha, where the sealings with the legend Kapilavastu were found, the impressive structures, and the large quantity of antiquities hardly leave any doubt that they were the residential complex of the chief of the capital town of Kapilavastu , i.e. Sakya king Suddhodhana and his predecessors. In this connexion it can be recalled that the entrance of the structural complexes at Ganwaria is not towards the stupa as it happened to be in the case of all monasteries of Piprahwa.” (Indian Archaeology, 1974-75- A Review, 1979, p.41.)
This claim is not acceptable to Nepal and they claim that the site of Kapilvastu is Tilaurakot in Nepal.
Interestingly, the distance between Tilakurkot, (Nepalese Kapil Vastu) and Birdpur Estate in which Piprawah is located, (Indian Kapilavastu) is only 20 kms.( approximately) From Birdpur to the course of the Rohini River is less than 20kms.
Entire Nepal was a part of Asokan Empire and there was no controversy over the location of Kapilavastu in Ancient time. From the locations of both the sites, it seems probable that these sites were within the city of Kapilavastu of Sakya Kingdom.
Q4. What is the test set by the Buddha to be applied to prove the veracity of his saying?
He was the greatest rational man the world has ever seen, said Swami Vivekananda. The Buddha said, examine rationally before you accept anything. Thus the principle of rationality or scientific approach should always kept in mind while discussing the doctrine of the Buddha. If we dilute this, we fail to understand his doctrine. He, like all great men realized that all kinds of myths, legends and tales would spin around him and therefore he warned us not to take the saying of the Buddha if it fails the test of rationality.
Q5. Did he renounce and left home in midnight without informing his parents and wife?
A. No. Ariyaparisena Sutta , The Buddha in unambiguous term says that he went forth –took Pabajja in public in broad day light.
Q6. Is there any concept of God, Self, Soul or Permanence in his doctrine?
A. No, No, No.
Q7. Did he believe in Rituals?
A. No.
Q6. Did he believe in Caste?
A. No. He denied caste and campaigned all through for abolition of caste to establish a society of dignity, equality, fraternity and justice. His denial of caste is a great movement said Swamiji. According to Swamiji, this is a unique contribution of The Buddha to Indian Civilization.