Jawaharlal Nehru’s views and contributions toward the revival of Buddhism

 

Jawaharlal Nehru’s views and contributions toward the revival of Buddhism

SR Darapuri I.P.S.(Retd)

                                     

Jawaharlal Nehru’s views and contributions toward the revival of Buddhism were shaped by his secular humanism, anti-communal nationalism, and deep respect for Buddhism as one of India’s greatest ethical–civilizational gifts to the world. While Nehru was not a religious revivalist, his role was crucial in restoring Buddhism’s national and international stature after centuries of decline in India.

Below is a clear, academic, and balanced account of Nehru’s views and contributions.

1. Nehru’s Views on Buddhism

(a) Buddhism as India’s Greatest Moral Export

Nehru regarded Buddhism as India’s most significant contribution to world civilization, more important than ritualistic Hindu traditions.

In The Discovery of India (1946), he wrote that Buddhism represented: Rationality, Ethical universalism, Compassion (karuṇā), Non-violence (ahiṃsā) and Human dignity.

For Nehru, Buddhism was not superstition or priestcraft, but a moral and philosophical revolution against: Brahmanical ritualism, Caste hierarchy and religious dogma.

(b) Buddhism as a Rational, Scientific Ethic

Nehru admired Buddhism for being: non-theistic, experimental and rational and compatible with modern scientific temper. This resonated with his vision of a modern, scientific, secular India.

He saw the Buddha as: “One of the greatest human beings who ever lived.”

(c) Buddhism and Indian Secularism

Nehru viewed Buddhism as: An indigenous Indian tradition yet non-sectarian and universal.

Thus, Buddhism helped Nehru argue that Indian secularism was not Western-imported, but rooted in India’s own pluralistic past.

2. Nehru’s Role in the Revival of Buddhism in Independent India

(a) State Patronage to Buddhist Heritage

Under Nehru’s leadership, independent India undertook systematic restoration and promotion of Buddhist sites, including: Sarnath, Bodh Gaya, Sanchi, Kushinagar and Nalanda.

These sites were developed as: National heritage monuments and centres of international pilgrimage. This marked the first major state-supported Buddhist revival since Ashoka.

(b) Ashoka as Nehru’s Political-Ideal Model

Nehru consciously projected Emperor Ashoka as the moral ancestor of modern India: Ashoka’s Dhamma influenced Nehru’s vision of governance. The Ashoka Chakra was adopted on the Indian national flag.

This symbolized: Ethical state power, Non-violence and Buddhist moral governance.

(c) Buddhist Diplomacy and Asian Solidarity

Nehru actively used Buddhism as a tool of cultural diplomacy, especially with: Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Japan and China (before 1962).

His key initiatives were: International Buddhist conferences in India, Promotion of Buddhist cultural exchanges and Emphasis on India as the “land of Buddha”

This helped India re-establish leadership in Asia without religious chauvinism.

(d) Support for Buddhist Institutions

Nehru supported: Revival of Nalanda as an international centre of learning (conceptual groundwork), Buddhist studies in Indian universities and Archaeological Survey of India’s work on Buddhist remains.

Though slow and elite-driven, these efforts gave Buddhism institutional legitimacy.

3. Nehru and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: A Critical Contrast

(a) Nehru’s Buddhism: Cultural–Civilizational

Nehru approached Buddhism as: A civilizational heritage, A moral philosophy and A diplomatic and ethical resource.

He did not see Buddhism as a tool of social revolution in contemporary India.

(b) Ambedkar’s Buddhism: Social–Political Liberation

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, in contrast: Saw Buddhism as a counter-revolution against Brahmanism. He used it as a weapon for annihilation of caste and led a mass conversion of Dalits (1956)

Nehru: Respected Ambedkar personally, welcomed religious freedom but remained uneasy with mass religious mobilization, including Buddhist conversion

Thus, Nehru’s revival was symbolic and elite, while Ambedkar’s was radical and grassroots.

4. Limitations of Nehru’s Contribution

Despite his admiration, Nehru’s role had clear limits: No active promotion of Buddhism among oppressed castes, no challenge to Brahmanical dominance in Hindu society, Buddhism was preserved as heritage, not revived as living mass religion and Dalit–Bahujan Buddhist movement was largely ignored by the Nehruvian state.

This explains why Buddhism revived internationally and academically, but remained marginal demographically.

5. Overall Assessment Jawaharlal Nehru’s contribution to Buddhism can be summarized as: Nehru saw Buddhism as a Philosophy which elevated Buddhism as rational, ethical tradition. His state policy restored Buddhist sites and symbols, his diplomacy used Buddhism for Asian cultural unity, Buddhism as National Identity linked India with Ashoka–Buddha legacy, Nehru’s Limitation was that he Avoided social-revolutionary Buddhism. Conclusion Jawaharlal Nehru was not a Buddhist revivalist in the Ambedkarite sense, but he was the chief architect of Buddhism’s cultural and political rehabilitation in modern India. He transformed Buddhism from a forgotten, marginal tradition into: A global symbol of India’s moral past, a pillar of Indian soft power and a respected philosophical legacy. However, the task of making Buddhism a living force of social equality was left to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and the Dalit–Bahujan movement. References / Footnotes 1.     Nehru, Jawaharlal. The Discovery of India. Oxford University Press, 1946. 2.     Nehru, Jawaharlal. Glimpses of World History. Oxford University Press, 1934. 3.     Nehru, Jawaharlal. Letters from a Father to His Daughter. The John Day Company, 1929. 4.     Thapar, Romila. Ashoka and the Decline of the Mauryas. Oxford University Press, 1961. 5.     Ambedkar, B. R. The Buddha and His Dhamma. Popular Prakashan, 1957. 6.     Gombrich, Richard. Theravāda Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo. Routledge, 1988. 7.     Keer, Dhananjay. Dr. Ambedkar: Life and Mission. Popular Prakashan, 1954. 8.     Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). India and Buddhist Cultural Diplomacy. Government of India Publication. 9.     Singh, Upinder. A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India. Pearson Education, 2008.