Vol. 11 · pages 216–220

197 CONVERSION OF WOMEN II 3. He saw a girl on the river bank filling her pot. Ananda asked her to give him some water. 4. The girl, whose name was Prakrati, refused, saying she was a Chandalika. 5. Ananda said, “I am concerned with water. I am not concerned with your caste.” The girl then gave him some water from her pot. 6. Thereafter Ananda left for Jetavana. The girl followed him and saw where he was staying and found that his name was Ananda and that he was a follower of the Buddha. 7. On returning home she told her mother Matangi what had happened and falling on the ground started weeping. 8. The mother asked for the cause of her weeping. The girl told the whole story, and said, “If you wish to marry me I can only marry Ananda. I will not marry anybody else.” 9. The mother started on an inquiry. On return she told the girl that such a marriage was impossible for Ananda was under a vow of celibacy. 10. On hearing this news the girl was filled with extreme sorrow and gave up food. She was not prepared to take things as though it was a decree of fate. So she said: “Mother, you know the art of sorcery, don’t you ? Why don’t you employ it to achieve our purpose?” The mother said, “I will see what can be done.” 11. Matangi invited Ananda to her house for a meal. The girl became very happy. Matangi then told Ananda that her daughter was very anxious to marry him. Ananda replied, “I am vowed to be celibate and therefore I cannot marry any woman.” 12. “If you do not marry my daughter, she will commit suicide, so attached she is to you,” Matangi told Ananda. “But I cannot help,” replied Ananda. 13. Matangi went inside and told her daughter that Ananda refused to marry her. 14. The girl cried: “Mother, where is your sorcery ?” The mother said, “My sorcery cannot win against the Tathagata.”

198 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES II 15. The girl shouted and said, “Close the door and do not allow him to go out. I shall see that he becomes my husband this very night.” 16. The mother did what the girl wanted her to do. As night fell the mother brought in the room a bed. The girl, dressed in her best, stepped in. But Ananda remained unmoved. 17. The mother at last used her sorcery. As a result a fire broke out in the room. The mother then held Ananda by his clothes and said, “If you will not agree to marry my daughter, I will throw you in this fire.” However, Ananda did not yield, and the mother and the daughter feeling helpless, left him free. 18. Ananda on his return told the Blessed Lord all that had happened. 19. On the second day the girl came to Jetavana in search of Ananda. Ananda was going out for alms. Ananda saw her and wanted to avoid her. But the girl followed him wherever he went. 20. When Ananda returned to Jetavana he found the girl waiting at the door of his Vihar. 21. Ananda told the Blessed One how the girl was pursuing him. The Blessed One sent for her. 22. When the girl appeared before him the Blessed One asked her why she was pursuing Ananda. The girl replied that she was intent on marrying him “I have heard he is unmarried and I am also unmarried.” 23. The Bhagavan said, “Ananda is a Bhikku and he has no hair on his head. If you can get yourself clean shaven I shall see what could be done.” 24. The girl replied, “I am prepared for it.” The Bhagavan said, “You must get your mother’s permission for undergoing tonsure.” 25. The girl returned to her mother and said, “Mother! I have achieved what you failed to achieve. The Bhagavan has promised to get me married to Ananda if I undergo tonsure.” 26. The mother grew angry and said, “You must not do that. You are my daughter and you must keep hair. Why are you so eager to marry a Shramana

199 CONVERSION OF WOMEN II like Ananda. I can get you married to a better man.” 27. She replied, “I will either die or marry Ananda. There is no third alternative for me.” 28. The Mother said, “Why are you insulting me ?” The girl said, “If you love me you must let me do as I wish.” 29. The mother withdrew her objection and the girl underwent tonsure. 30. Then the girl presented herself before the Blessed Lord saying, “I have tonsured my head as directed by you.” 31. The Blessed Lord then asked her, “What do you want ? What part of his body you cherish ?” The girl said, “I am in love with his nose, I am in love with his mouth, I am in love with his ears, I am in love with his voice, I am in love with his eyes and I am in love with his gait.” 32. The Blessed Lord then said to the girl, “Do you know that the eyes are the home of tears, the nose is the home of dirt, the mouth is the home of spit, the ear is the home of dirt and the body is the container of dung and urine.” 33. “When men and women come together they procreate children. But where there is birth there is death also; where there is death there is sorrow also. My dear girl, what are you going to get by marrying Ananda. I do not know.” 34. The girl began to cogitate and agreed that there was no purpose in her marriage with Ananda on which she was so intent and she told the Blessed Lord accordingly. 35. After saluting the Blessed Lord the girl said: “Owing to ignorance I was going in pursuit of Ananda. My mind is now enlightened. I am like a sailor whose ship after a mishap has reached the other bank. I am like an unprotected aged person who has found protection. I am like the blind who has got new sight. The Blessed Lord by his wise words of advice has awakened me from my sleep.” 36. Blessed art thou, Prakrati, for though you are a Chandalika you will be a model for noblemen

200 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES II and noblewomen. You are of low caste, but Brahmins will learn a lesson from you. Swerve not from the path of justice and righteousness and you will outshine the royal glory of queens on the throne.” 37. The marriage having failed, the only course for her was to join the Bhikkhuni Sangh. 38. Having expressed her wish she was admitted into it, though she belonged to the lowest class.

PART VIII Conversion of the Fallen and the Criminals 1. Conversion of a Vagabond. 2. Conversion of Angulimala, the Robber. 3. Conversion of Other Criminals. 4. Risk of Conversion.