About the Author SK. Biswas was born in Calcutta on 21st August 1947. He was educated in the scottish Church Collegiate School, College and the University of Calcutta. He passed the I.A.S. etc. Exam. in 1975 and joined the C.S.S. For the last twenty years he has been serving the Government of India from New Delhi. His bureaucratic busy schedule did not stop him from his pursuit of truth of human relations and the society.

He donated the bust-portrait of Dr. Ambedkar for installation in the coming up Library of the Parliament and the life-size portrait in the Central Hall of Parliament. He was one of the Hon'able members of the National Committee for the Birth Centenary Celebration of Dr. Ambedkar, Government of India. He is the Member of the Ambedkar Study Circle, Dr. Ambedkar Foundation, Ministry of Welfare, Govt. of India.

Foreword The author of this book S. K. Biswas is known to me for over five years. He is a bold and intrepid thinker, noted research scholar and prolific writer. The deep research into the available original primary sources combined with objective and detached evaluation and masterly analysis in search of the knowledge of truth are the bright traits of S. K. Biswas's books published so far. This book is a marked advancement and staked improvement in the quality, originality, analysis and conclusions. The pur suit of research is the knowledge of truth. Truth cannot be proved without proof. Biswas in this book has taken great deal of pains and left no stone unturned in collecting, collating and cogitating the various pri mary source materials and hence the book comes out with the refreshing originality and break through contribution to the literature on Buddhism.

In last hundred years several scholars, including Dr. B. R. Ambedkar himself, have written voluminous books on Buddhism high lighting the ever abiding significance of the doctrine that was preached and practiced by Gautama Buddha for the enlightenment and welfare, well being and happiness of mankind. Prof. P. Lakshmi Narasu's book, "THE ESSENCE OF BUDDHISM" published in December 1907 was described by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar in the preface that he wrote on 10th March 1948 to the third edition as the best book on Buddhism because it was complete in its treatment and lucid in its exposition.

**Contents and Sample Pages**