That my teacher and friend, Professor Ernest Wood,
should have found time, amidst his heavy duties as Dean of
the American Academy of Asian Studies, San Francisco, to
have gone through the book and considered it worthy of
his Foreword is a source of great satisfaction to me. I value
highly his endorsement of the thesis presented here, parti-
cularly because he has a first-hand knowledge of the life and
thought of India acquired by residence of forty years, is an
outstanding Scholar of Sanskrit and Indian philosophy and a
distinguished author in his own right. I am grateful to him.

The manuscript of the book was completed on
May 24, 1956, the day when the 25th Centennial Anniversary
Celebrations of the Mahā Paranirvāṇa of Gautama Buddha
began throughout Asia, and was despatched to the
Publishers in India the following day. But the historical
portion, now appearing as the Second Part, had hardly
begun to take shape. But before the printing could com-
mence, there came the privilege of a brief visit with a
dear and respected Friend with whom, in the course of con-
versation, I took the liberty of sharing my subject of study.
This contact led to the opening up of a vast field for re-
search. Materials, bearing on my subject, poured in thick
and fast from all sides, and the Second Part, in the
present form, came to be. I take this opportunity of
offering my gratitude to the Friend for the help he has so
generously given. It is my earnest hope that he will find
this effort to revive the teachings and the memory of Manu
worthy of his gracious interest and assistance.

KEWAL MOTWANI

May 11, 1958

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