International University of Non‑Violence (Encyclopedia Asiana)
By Kalidas Nag
Summary
This article is a reprint of Dr Kalidas Nag’s 1947 address advocating an ‘International University of Non‑Violence’ and a pan‑Asian encyclopaedia. Nag recounts how, while preparing a memorandum on cultural problems for the Asian Relations Conference, he realised that cultural reconstruction was hindered by a lack of dependable reference works and by Western historiography that portrayed Asia as barbaric. He surveys the rich encyclopaedic traditions of Asia: Indian chronicles grouped into Saṃhitā‑Brāhmaṇa, Sūtra‑Śāstra and Itihāsa‑Purāṇa classes; Jaina and Buddhist scholars who compiled lexicons and cyclopaedias; and Chinese contributions from Ssu‑ma Chien’s monumental ‘Shih Chi’ and Ts’ai Lun’s invention of paper to the encyclopaedias of the T’ang and Ming eras. He notes how Buddhist scriptures and secular classics were translated between Sanskrit and Chinese by Kumārajīva and Hsuan Tsang and how imperial commissions produced vast works like the ‘Yung Lo Ta Tien’, the ‘Tung Tien’ and the ‘T’ai P’ing Yu Lan’. Part II argues that India and China should collaborate to produce a new Encyclopaedia Asiana that corrects Western biases and represents every Asian civilisation. Nag proposes a polyglot project covering Sanskrit, Chinese, Persian, Arabic, Hebrew, Turkish and other languages; he urges inclusion of Central Asian manuscripts, Tibeto‑Burman and Malayo‑Polynesian cultures, and inventories of art objects and archaeological specimens. He stresses that authentic narratives should be illustrated by Eastern artists and that the humble arts, crafts and applied sciences of rural populations deserve attention alongside grand histories. The proposed encyclopaedia would foster comparative studies of Oriental arts, science and technology and demonstrate the East’s contributions to navigation (magnetic compass), printing and industry. In Part III Nag shifts from scholarship to ethics, lamenting that Western imperialism and wars have pushed humanity towards self‑destruction and urging the adoption of the Eastern ideal of non‑violence. Drawing on the teachings of Laozi, Mahāvīra, the Buddha, Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi, he argues that conciliation, self‑discipline and compassion for all beings—including animals—are essential for world peace. He envisions an international university that, through education and an encyclopaedia rooted in ahimsa, would unite Asian nations, preserve their cultural heritage and help the West escape the cycle of violence.
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Conclusion
Dr Kalidas Nag proposes a grand Encyclopaedia Asiana and a world centre for non‑violence. He argues that collaboration among Asian nations could correct Western misconceptions about the East and preserve manuscripts, arts and sciences from India, China, Central Asia and South‑East Asia. In his vision, a university devoted to research, translation and ahimsa would disseminate the message of Laozi, Mahāvīra, the Buddha, Tagore and Gandhi that non‑violence and self‑discipline are prerequisites for world peace.