Dr.Ambedkar and Untouchability by Professor Christophe Jaffrelot

Today's selection for Uplift's Book that every dalit and every Indian must read, I am linking Professor Christophe Jaffrelot's insightful storey about Dr.Ambedkar and his fight against the evil untouchablity in India.

Professor Chirstophe "as listed in my great scholar and humanitarian blog" is one of the great scholars of Dalit studies, every single writing of Christophe can be an eye opener to learn about dalits and untouchablity in India. He also writes on the topic of engaged Buddhism which is to the core is creditable to the great Dr.B.R.Ambedkar, who is the founder of engaged Buddhism in India and in the world, Chris specializes in engaged Buddhism, he is also a great Buddhist follower from US.

Every Indian must read his account on Dr.Ambedkar and Dalits.

The following cover image is from Amazon. Other Links to this book is google books, where the whole book is available online free:

Google Book

John Dewey, one of the Great modern Philosopher and Psychologist of 21st Century

The man who shaped Dr.B.R.Ambedkar's human rights, woman rights and as well as  pragmatic thoughts, it was during the years in Columbia according to his own writing that he has learned a lot about humanitarian approach to problems in life and social issues.

John Dewey, the then Columbia University Professor who was the PhD supervisor for Ambedkar. In his Book, David L. Hildebrand provides insights about Dewey.

Amazon Link:

One world link:

The Buddha and His Dhamma, by Dr.B.R.Ambedkar

Dr.B.R.Ambedkar, the greatest Buddhism revival of the 21st century and a dalit from India wrote on Buddha and his teachings in this book "The Buddha and His Dhamma", like Rahula's outstanding writing, Dr.Ambedkar's book is rather scripted in simplistic english than Rahula but incredebly truthful and insightful view on Buddha and his teachings. This is yet another great book about Buddha by Dr.Ambedkar.

The whole book is available on columbia university website, at the following Link:

UNPUBLISHED

PREFACE

April 6, 1956

[Text provided by Eleanor Zelliot, as prepared by Vasant Moon]

A question is always asked to me: how I happen[ed] to take such [a] high degree of education. Another question is being asked: why I am inclined towards Buddhism. These questions are asked because I was born in a community known in India as the "Untouchables." This preface is not the place for answering the first question. But this preface may be the place for answering the second question.

The direct answer to this question is that I regard the Buddha's Dhamma to be the best. No religion can be compared to it. If a modern man who knws science must have a religion, the only religion he can have is the Religion of the Buddha. This conviction has grown in me after thirty-five years of close study of all religions.

How I was led to study Buddhism is another story. It may be interesting for the reader to know. This is how it happened.

My father was a military officer, but at the same time a very religious person. He brought me up under a strict discipline. From my early age I found certain contradictions in my father's religious way of life. He was a Kabirpanthi, though his father was Ramanandi. As such, he did not believe in Murti Puja (Idol Worship), and yet he performed Ganapati Puja--of course for our sake, but I did not like it. He read the books of his Panth. At the same time, he compelled me and my elder brother to read every day before going to bed a portion of [the] Mahabharata and Ramayana to my sisters and other persons who assembled at my father's house to hear the Katha. This went on for a long number of years.

The year I passed the English Fourth Standard Examination, my community people wanted to celebrate the occasion by holding a public meeting to congratulate me. Compared to the state of education in other communities, this was hardly an occasion for celebration. But it was felt by the organisers that I was the first boy in my community to reach this stage; they thought that I had reached a great height. They went to my father to ask for his permission. My father flatly refused, saying that such a thing would inflate the boy's head; after all, he has only passed an examination and done nothing more. Those who wanted to celebrate the event were greatly disappointed. They, however, did not give way. They went to Dada Keluskar, a personal friend of my father, and asked him to intervene. He agreed. After a little argumentation, my father yielded, and the meeting was held. Dada Keluskar presided. He was a literary person of his time. At the end of his address he gave me as a gift a copy of his book on the life of the Buddha, which he had written for the Baroda Sayajirao Oriental Series. I read the book with great interest, and was greatly impressed and moved by it.

Walpola Rahula's Extraordinary Writing on Buddha "What the Buddha Taught"

Walpola Rahula, one of the greatest Buddhist monk ever known to this world, his writings are the most truthful and genuine about Buddha and his teachings. In my experience and reviews of Buddhist literature, this is my most revered writing about Buddha by a modern world Buddhist monk. My most lovable part of this book is the way Rahula tell us the story of Buddha without any myths, religious stupidity and false pretentions of a God and so on......Go ahead and read it, you will know why this is a revered work.

Link:

What the Buddha Taught: Revised and Expanded Edition with Texts from Suttas and Dhammapada (Paperback)

by Walpola Rahula (Author) "Among the founders of religions the Buddha (if we are permitted to call him the founder of a religion in the popular sense of the..."(more)
Key Phrases: dispassionatewithregard, bhikkhulives, mentalvolition, BlessedOne, FourNobleTruths, VenerableGotama (more...)

Shakyamuni Buddha (Paperback) by Nikkyo Niwano (Author)

SakyaMuni Buddha, True Story without Myths!?, May 9, 2008 By Dr.Muni (USA) - See all my reviews I recently read this book, to my amazement I was just glued into it because of few reasons. This book is simple, flowing smooth, truthfull and most importantly, it does not add the pepper and salt of mythical believes and myths about Buddha. This makes it a better ingredient for a very truthfull book on Buddha, I read it once and I will read many more times and I also gifted a copy of this book to a person I just met once....!, this is the very essence of Buddha's Dhamma. Let us discuss about this book and why this book is in my recommendation list: Lord Buddha, he is the only enlightened human who lived, preached and practiced nobel human service on this planet. Also, he was the only human who was made to god.