Life and Message of the Buddha
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claws of fear. Fear of the supernatural and the doctrine of everlasting hell-fire have no place in Buddhism. During the last 25 centuries since the appearance of the Buddha, many changes have taken place in this world. Kingdoms have risen and fallen; nations have prospered and perished. And the world today has forgotten many of these past civilisations. But the name of the Buddha remains alive and fresh in the minds of millions of people today. The Kingdom of Righteousness that He built is still strong and steady. Although many temples, pagodas, images, libraries and other religious symbols erected in His honour were destroyed by religious fanatics from time to time, His untainted Noble Name and the message He gave remain in the minds of understanding people. The Buddha taught that the greatest of conquests was not the subjugation of others but of the self. He taught in the DHAMMAPADA, ‘Even though a man conquers ten thousand men in battle, he who conquers but himself is the greatest of conquerors’. Perhaps the best example of how the gentle message of the Compassionate One could rehabilitate the most savage of men is the case of the Emperor Asoka. About two hundred years after the Buddha, this king waged fierce battles across India and caused great anguish and fear. But when he embraced the Dharma, he regretted the evil that he had done. We remember and honour him today because after his conversion to the path of peace, he embarked on another battle: a battle to bring peace to humanity. He proved without doubt that the Buddha was right when He