Saradakosh

Visit to Buddhagaya and Varanasi (Jan-Feb 1902)

Total Records Found: 17

Dear____x000d_ We beg your acceptance of the past year's Report of the Ramakrishna Home of Service, Varanasi, embodying a short statement of our humble efforts towards the amelioration, however little, of the miserable state into which a good many of our fellow-beings, generally old men and women, are cast in this city._x000d_ In these days of intellectual awakening and steadily asserting public opinion, the holy places of the Hindus, their condition, and method of work have not escaped the keen eye of criticism; and this city, being the holy of holies to all Hindus, has not failed to attract its full share of censure._x000d_ In other sacred places people go to purify themselves from sin, and their connection with these places is casual, and of a few days' duration. In this, the most ancient and living centre of Aryan religious activity, there come men and women, and as a rule, old and decrepit, waiting to pass unto Eternal Freedom, through the greatest of all sanctifications, death under the shadow of the temple of the Lord of the universe._x000d_ And then there are those who have renounced everything for the good of the world and have for ever lost the helping hands of their own flesh and blood and childhood's associations._x000d_ They too are overtaken by the common lot of humanity, physical evil in the form of disease._x000d_ It may be true that some blame attaches to the management of the place. It may be true that the priests deserve a good part of the sweeping criticism generally heaped upon them; yet we must not forget the great truth--like people, like priests. If the people stand by with folded hands and watch the swift current of misery rushing past their doors, dragging men, women and children, the Sannyasin and the householder into one common whirlpool of helpless suffering, and make not the least effort to save any from the current, only waxing eloquent at the misdoings of the priests of the holy places, not one particle of suffering can ever be lessened, not one ever be helped._x000d_ Do we want to keep up the faith of our forefathers in the efficacy of the Eternal City of Shiva towards salvation?_x000d_ If we do, we ought to be glad to see the number of those increase from year to year who come here to die. _x000d_ And blessed be the name of the Lord that the poor have this eager desire for salvation, the same as ever._x000d_ The poor who come here to die have voluntarily cut themselves off from any help they could have received in the places of their birth, and when disease overtakes them, their condition we leave to your imagination and to your conscience as a Hindu to feel and to rectify._x000d_ Brother, does it not make you pause and think of the marvellous attraction of this wonderful place of preparation for final rest? Does it not strike you with a mysterious sense of awe--this age-old and never-ending stream of pilgrims marching to salvation through death?_x000d_ If it does--come and lend us a helping hand._x000d_ Never mind if your contribution is only a mite, your help only a little; blades of grass united into a rope will hold in confinement the maddest of elephants--says the old proverb._x000d_ Ever yours in the Lord of the universe,_x000d_ Vivekananda

To Miss Josephine MacLeod_x000d_ Gopal Lal Villa, Benaras Cantonment_x000d_ 7th Feb. 1902._x000d_ My dear Joe___x000d_ We have safely reached Benaras, and Mr. Okakura [Kakuzo] has already done Benaras. He goes to see Sarnath (the old Buddhistic place) today and starts on his tour tomorrow._x000d_ He has asked Niranjan [Swami Niranjanananda] to accom¬pany him and he has consented._x000d_ Kanay [Nirbhayananda] has supplied him with everything he asked for__and he asks me also to send you the accounts. This, on the other page._x000d_ I hope Nivedita and Mrs. [Ole] Bull have safely arrived. I am rather better than at Buddha Gaya. This house is nice__well furnished and has a good many rooms and parlours. There is a big garden all round and beautiful roses__and gigantic trees. It is rather cooler here than at Gaya. There was no hitch to our friends being admitted into the chief temple and [allowed to] touch the Sign of Shiva and to worship. The Buddhists, it seems, are always admitted._x000d_ With all love and welcome to Mrs. Bull and Nivedita__if they have arrived__and all to you,_x000d_ Vivekananda_x000d_ _x000d_ _x000d_ [Enclosed in the above letter was the following accounts list.]_x000d_ _x000d_ 4th February 1902. Rs 100_x000d_ Rs. As. P._x000d_ Train hire from Gaya to Benares 20 4 0_x000d_ Cab hire 5 0 0_x000d_ Tel message 2 0 0_x000d_ Refreshment Room (Morning) 1 8 0_x000d_ Cooly hire Gaya 0 10 0_x000d_ Tobacco etc. 0 5 0_x000d_ Refreshment Room (Evening) 2 0 3_x000d_ Cooly hire (at Benares) 1 1 0_x000d_ Cab hire at Benares 1 10 0_x000d_ ___________________________x000d_ Total 34 6 3_x000d_ 5th February_x000d_ Paid to Medicine for Mr. K. Okakura 1 8 0_x000d_ " [Ditto] Oatmeal & corn flour 1 4 0_x000d_ " Tobacco etc. 0 6 3_x000d_ " Bread etc. 0 2 0_x000d_ Paid to Barber 0 3 0_x000d_ " Fish 0 7 6_x000d_ ___________________________x000d_ Total 3 14 9_x000d_ ___________________________x000d_ _x000d_ 6th February 1902_x000d_ Pickles 1 0 0_x000d_ Sweetmeats 0 9 0_x000d_ Carriage hire 1 8 0_x000d_ Priests of Vishvanâth etc. 10 4 0_x000d_ ___________________________x000d_ Total 13 5 0_x000d_ ___________________________x000d_ " Things purchased for store at _x000d_ Gopal Lal Villa before Swamiji's arrival 17 11 9_x000d_ ___________________________x000d_ Total 69 5 9_x000d_ Paid to Expenses from Calcutta to Buddh _x000d_ Gaya 30 10 3_x000d_ ___________________________x000d_ Rs. 100 0 0

Gopal Lal Villa,_x000d_ Benares (Varanasi) Cantonment_x000d_ 9th February, 1902_x000d_ My dear Swarup{ananda},_x000d_ . . . In answer to Charu's letter, tell him to study the Brahma-Sutras himself. What does he mean by the Brahma-Sutras containing references to Buddhism? He means the Bhashyas, of course, or rather ought to mean, and Shankara was only the last Bhashyakara (commentator). There are references, though in Buddhistic literature, to Vedanta, and the Mahayana school of Buddhism is even Advaitistic. Why does Amara Singha, a Buddhist, give as one of the names of Buddha--Advayavadi? Charu writes, the word Brahman does not occur in the Upanishads! Quelle betise !_x000d_ I hold the Mahayana to be the older of the two schools of Buddhism._x000d_ The theory of Maya is as old as the Rik-Samhita. The Shvetashvatara Upanishad contains the word "Maya" which is developed out of Prakriti. I hold that Upanishad to be at least older than Buddhism._x000d_ I have had much light of late about Buddhism, and I am ready to prove:_x000d_ (1) That Shiva-worship, in various forms, antedated the Buddhists, that the Buddhists tried to get hold of the sacred places of the Shaivas but, failing in that, made new places in the precincts just as you find now at Bodh-Gaya and Sarnath (Varanasi)._x000d_ (2) The story in the Agni Purana about Gayasura does not refer to Buddha at all--as Dr. Rajendralal will have it--but simply to a pre-existing story._x000d_ (3) That Buddha went to live on Gayashirsha mountain proves the pre-existence of the place. _x000d_ (4) Gaya was a place of ancestor-worship already, and the footprint-worship the Buddhists copied from the Hindus._x000d_ (5) About Varanasi, even the oldest records go to prove it as the great place of Shiva-worship; etc., etc._x000d_ Many are the new facts I have gathered in Bodh-Gaya and from Buddhist literature. Tell Charu to read for himself, and not be swayed by foolish opinions._x000d_ I am rather well here, in Varanasi, and if I go on improving in this way, it will be a great gain._x000d_ A total revolution has occurred in my mind about the relation of Buddhism and Neo-Hinduism. I may not live to work out the glimpses, but I shall leave the lines of work indicated, and you and your brethren will have to work it out._x000d_ Yours with all blessings and love,_x000d_ Vivekananda

Gopal Lal Villa_x000d_ Benares (Varanasi) Cantonment_x000d_ 10th February, 1902_x000d_ {to Mrs. Ole Bull}_x000d_ Welcome to India once more, dear mother and daughter. A copy of a Madras journal that I received through the kindness of Joe delighted me exceedingly, as the reception Nivedita had in Madras was for the good of both Nivedita and Madras. Her speech was indeed beautiful._x000d_ I hope you are resting well after your long journey, and so is Nivedita. I wish it so much that you should go for a few hours to a few villages west of Calcutta to see the old Bengali structures made of wood, bamboo, cane, mica, and grass. _x000d_ These are the bungalows, most artistic. Alas! the name is travestied nowadays by every pigsty appropriating the name._x000d_ In old days a man who built a palace still built a bungalow for the reception of guests. The art is dying out. I wish I could build the whole of Nivedita's School in that style. Yet it is good to see a few that yet remained, at least one._x000d_ Brahmananda will arrange for it, and you have only to take a journey of a few hours._x000d_ Mr. Okakura has started on his short tour. He intends to visit Agra, Gwalior, Ajanta, Ellora, Chittore, Udaipur, Jaipur, and Delhi._x000d_ A very well-educated rich young man of Varanasi, with whose father we had a long-standing friendship, came back to this city yesterday. He is especially interested in art, and spending purposely a lot of money in his attempts to revive dying Indian arts. He came to see me only a few hours after Mr. Okakura left. He is just the man to show him artistic India (i.e. what little is left), and I am sure he will be much benefited by Okakura's suggestions. Okakura just found a common terracotta water-vessel here used by the servants. The shape and the embossed work on it simply charmed him, but as it is common earthenware and would not bear the journey, he left a request with me to have it reproduced in brass. I was at my wit's end as to what to do. My young friend comes a few hours after, and not only undertakes to have it done, but offers to show a few hundreds of embossed designs in terracotta infinitely superior to the one Okakura fancied._x000d_ He also offers to show us old painting in that wonderful old style. Only one family is left in Varanasi who can paint after the old style yet. One of them has painted a whole hunting scene on a pea, perfect in detail and action! _x000d_ I hope Okakura will come to this city on his return and be this gentleman's guest and see a bit of what is left._x000d_ Niranjan has gone with Mr. Okakura, and as he is a Japanese, they don't object to his going into any temple. It seems that the Tibetans and the other Northern Buddhists have been coming here to worship Shiva all along._x000d_ They allowed him to touch the sign of Shiva and worship. Mrs. Annie Besant tried once, but, poor woman, although she bared her feet, put on a Sari, and humiliated herself to the dust before the priests, she was not admitted even into the compound of the temple. The Buddhists are not considered non-Hindus in any of our great temples. My plans are not settled; I may shift from this place very soon._x000d_ Shivananda and the boys send you all their welcome, regards, and love._x000d_ I am, as ever, your most affectionate son_x000d_ Vivekananda

To Sister Nivedita_x000d_ Gopal Lal Villa,_x000d_ Benares Cantonment,_x000d_ 4th March 1902._x000d_ My dear Margo [Margot],_x000d_ It is night now, and I can hardly sit up or write, yet still feel duty bound to write to you this letter, fearing lest it be¬comes my last, it may put others to trouble._x000d_ My condition is not at all serious, but it may become [so] any time; and I don't know what is meant by a low fever that almost never leaves me and the difficulty of breathing._x000d_ Well, I sent Christina [Greenstidel] £100 from Mrs. [Charlotte] Sevier for a travel to India, as she lost her mother at that time. Her last letter informs me that she sails on February 15th. In that case, her reaching India is very near. I expect, of course, some information as to the port and steamer next week. In case I pass away, which I would like very much to do in this city of Shiva, do you open her letters directed to me, receive the girl, and send her back home. If she has no money to go back, give her a passage__even if you have to beg._x000d_ I have spent the little money I brought from Europe in feeding my mother and paying her debts. What little remains I cannot touch, as that is the expense for the pending lawsuit._x000d_ In case I rally, I will inform you of the time of her arrival, and, in that case, you will have to see that she comes in safe to some station in Bareilly, where I [will] meet her. And she is to be the guest of Mrs. [Charlotte] Sevier. I am also going to take another chance in Almora._x000d_ Ramakrishnananda came a few weeks before I came away, and the first thing he did was to lay down at my feet 400 Rs. he had collected in so many years of hard work!!! It was the first time such a thing has happened in my life. I can scarcely sup¬press my tears. Oh, Mother!! Mother! There is not all gratitude, all love, all manliness dead!!! And, dear child, one is enough_x000d_ __one seed is enough to reforest the world._x000d_ Well, that money is in deposit in the Math. I never mean to touch a penny of that. When I asked Ramakrishnananda to give that money to his people, he replied he did not care a hang to give to anybody except me and was only sorry he could scrape that little in four years! Well, if I pass away, see that 400 Rs. is paid back__every rupee to him. Lord bless you and Ramakrish nananda._x000d_ I am quite satisfied with my work. To have left two true souls is beyond the ambition of the greatest._x000d_ Ever your loving father,_x000d_ Vivekananda.