Anyone who is not a Buddhist find it extremely difficult to present the life and Teaching of the Buddha in a manner which would make it a consistent whole. depending on the Nikayas, not only the presentation of a consistent story of the life of the Buddha becomes a difficult thing and the presentation of some parts of his teachings becomes much more so. Indeed it would not be an exaggeration to say that of all the founders of religions in the world the presentation of the life and teachings of the founder of Buddhism presents a problem which is quit puzzling if not baffling. It is not necessary that these problems should be solved and the path for the understanding of Buddhism be made clear? Is it not time that those who are Buddhist should take up these problems at least for general discussion and throw that light they can on these problems?
With a view to raise the discussion on these problems I propose to set them out here. The first problem relates to the main event in the life of the Buddha, namely, Parivraja. Why did the Buddha take Parivraja ? The traditional answer is that he took Parivraja because he saw a dead person, a sick person and an old person. the answer is absurd on the face of it. The Buddha Parivraja at the age of 29. If he took Parivraja as a result of these three sights, how is it he did not see these three sight earlier ? These are common events occurring by hundreds and the Buddha could not have failed to come across them earlier. It is impossible to accept the traditional explanation is not plausible and does not appeal to reason But if this is not the answer to the question, what is the real answer.
The second problems is created by the four Aryan truths. Do they from part of the original teachings of the Buddha ? The formula cuts at the root of Buddhism. If life is sorrow, death is sorrow and rebirth is sorrow, then there is an end of everything. Neither religion nor philosophy can help a man to achieve happiness in the world. If there is no escape from sorrow, then what can religion do, what can Buddha do to relieve man from such sorrow which is ever there in birth itself ? The four Aryan truths are a great stumbling block in the way of non-Buddhist accepting the gospel of Buddhism. For the four Aryan truths deny hop to man. The four Aryan truth make the gospel of Buddha a gospel of pessimism. Do they from the part of the original gospel or are they a later accretion by the monks ?
The third problem relate the doctrines of soul, of karma and rebirth. The Buddha denied the existence of the soul. But he is also said to have affirmed the doctrine of karma and rebirth. At once a question arises. If there is no soul, how can there be rebirth ? These are baffling questions. In what sense did the Buddha use the words karma and rebirth ? did use them in a different sense in which they were used by the Brahmins of his day ? If so, in what sense ? Did he use them in the same sense in which Brahmins used them ? If so, is there is not a terrible contradiction between the denial of the soul and the affirmation of karma and rebirth ? This contradiction need to be resolved.
The fourth problem relates the Bhikkhu. What was the object of the Buddha in creating the Bhikkhu ? Was the object to create a perfect man? Or was his object to create a social servant devoting his life to service of the people and being their friend, guide and philosopher ? This is a very real question. On its depends the future of Buddhism. If the Bhikkhu is only a perfect man he is of no use to the propagation of Buddhism because through a perfect man he is a selfish man. If, on another hand, he is a social servant he may prove to be the hope of Buddhism. This Question must be decided not so much in the interest of doctrinal consistency but in the interest of the future of Buddhism.
If I may say so, the pages of the journal of the Mahabodhi Society make, to me at my rate, dull reading. This is not because the materiel presented is not interesting and instructive. The dullness is due to the fact that it seems to fall upon a passive set of readers. After reading an article, one like to know what the reader of the journal has to say about it. But reader never gives out his reaction. This silence on the part of the reader is a great discouragement to the writer. I hope my questions will excite the readers to come and make their contribution to their solution
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