Dear Colleagues, 

As far as I am concerned, falsification of historical evidence should be called by its proper term. . 

There is a difference between "he might have been" and "he was".

Aśoka's person is an object of sanctification, whatever the reasons behind it. His Edicts are routinely decontextualized. Dr. Ambedkar's statement, re: removal of idols, is a good example of such practice. 

Best, 

Artur K. 

2017-05-28 5:28 GMT+02:00 Nagaraj Paturi <nagarajpaturi@gmail.com>:

Artur-ji, 

Dr Ambedkar's 

 Asoka said, "As I venerate the Buddha, the Enlightened One, there is no need to worship any other deity"

need not be taken too literally Asoka said it in so many words in an edict or such document. 

It is just a narration style, communicating the intention of a character behind his actions  in the narrative by describing as though he expressed the intention. So looking for an edict or such document with these words or asking for such a document may not be a fruitful exercise. 

You say,

"The question of 'the emergence of images and idols in India" apart what can be seen here is an example of falsification of historical record, done purposefully, with political agenda in mind."

What do you think is the agenda ?

To me, it all seems to be simple : 1. Whether the quoted words indicate replacement of older deities with Buddha, the Enlightened one or removal of idols is not clear. 

If the qoted words are to be interpreted as indicating removal of idols, then the logic is :  Dr Ambedkar was opposed to idol worship. He liked Buddhism and Asoka. He thought his favorites Buddhism and Asoka were also like himself opposed to idol worship. 

2. Dr Ambedkar's focus was on how Brahmin influence on State affairs, alleged and theorized by him as the result of belief of queens in Village deities etc., was reduced from the time of Asoka. 

On Fri, May 26, 2017 at 10:14 PM, Artur Karp <karp@uw.edu.pl> wrote:

Dear Matthew, 

>> Asoka after embracing Buddhism discontinued this practice and removed the idols of such deities. 

The meanig of the sentence is clear. According to Dr. Ambedkar Aśoka 'removed the idols of such deities'. 

Removed - gently? 

The problem is that no edict mentions Aśoka stating:  "As I venerate the Buddha, the Enlightened One, there is no need to worship any other deity".

The question of 'the emergence of images and idols in India" apart what can be seen here is an example of falsification of historical record, done purposefully, with political agenda in mind. 

Artur

2017-05-26 18:21 GMT+02:00 Matthew Kapstein <mkapstei@uchicago.edu>:

I have no idea about just what Dr. Ambedkar may have had in mind in regard to Asoka,
but I do think that the question of the emergence of images and idols in India should be empirically focused.

See, for instance, Michael Willis,
The Archeology of Hindu Ritual: Temples and the Establishment of the Gods (Cambridge 2009).

Although Willis prudently avoids the question of beginnings, some interesting suggestions may be gleaned
from section 2.7 "From Private Sacrifice to Public Spectacle," pp. 113-122.

One may also wish to consult, for evidence of deity-worship in early Buddhism, Robert DeCaroli,
Haunting the Buddha: Indian Popular Religion and the Formation of Buddhism (OUP 2004).

Matthew

Matthew Kapstein
Directeur d'études,
Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes

Numata Visiting Professor of Buddhist Studies,
The University of Chicago

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Nagaraj Paturi

 

Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.

BoS, MIT School of Vedic Sciences, Pune, Maharashtra

BoS, Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Veliyanad, Kerala

Former Senior Professor of Cultural Studies

 

FLAME School of Communication and FLAME School of  Liberal Education,

 

(Pune, Maharashtra, INDIA )