Vol. 11 · pages 26–30

7 FROM BIRTH TO PARIVRAJA I rightwise circuit round and taking the child in his own hand stood in contemplation. 15. Asita knew the old well-known prophecy that anyone endowed with the thirty-two marks of a great man, as Gautama was, has two careers open to him, and no third. “If he becomes a householder, he will become a universal monarch. But if he goes forth from the home to a homeless life, he will become a fully enlightened Buddha.” 16. Asita was sure that the child would not remain a householder. 17. And looking at the child he wept, and shedding tears, sighed deeply. 18. Suddhodana beheld Asita shedding tears, and sighing deeply. 19. Beholding him thus weeping, the hair of his body rose, and in distress Suddhodana said to Asita, “Why, O Sage, dost thou weep and shed tears, and sigh so deeply ? Surely, there is no misfortune in store for the child.” 20. At this Asita said to the Raja, “O King, I weep not for the sake of the child. There will be no misfortune for him. But I weep for myself.” 21. “And why?”asked Suddhodana. Asita replied, “I am old, aged, advanced in years, and this boy will without doubt become a Buddha and attain supreme and complete enlightenment and having done so, will turn the supreme wheel of the Doctrine that has not been turned before him by any other being in the world ; for the weal and happiness of the world will he teach his Doctrine.” 22. “The religious life, the Doctrine, that he will proclaim will be good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, complete in the letter and the spirit, whole and pure.” 23. “Just as an Oudumbara flower at some time and place arises in the world, even so at some time and place, after countless cycles, revered Buddhas arise in the world. So also, O Raja! this boy will without doubt obtain supreme, complete enlightenment, and having done so will take countless beings across the

8 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES I ocean of sorrow and misery to a state of happiness.” 24. “But I shall not see that Buddha. Hence, O Raja, I weep and in sadness I sigh deeply, for I shall not be able to reverence him.” 25 The king thereafter offered to the great sage Asita and Nardatta, his nephew, suitable food, and having given him robes made a rightwise circuit round him. 26. Thereupon Asita said to Nardatta, his nephew, “When thou shalt hear, Nardatta, that the child has become a Buddha, then go and take refuge in his teachings. This shall be for thy weal and welfare and happiness.” So saying Asita took leave of the Raja and departed for his hermitage. § 5. Death of Mahamaya 1. On the fifth day the ceremony of name-giving took place. The name chosen for the child was Siddharth. His clan name was Gautama. Popularly, therefore, he came to be called Siddharth Gautama. 2. In the midst of rejoicing over the birth and the naming of the child Mahamaya suddenly fell ill and her illness became very serious. 3. Realising that her end was near she called Suddhodana and Prajapati to her bedside and said : “I am sure that the prophecy made by Asita about my son will come true. My regret is that I will not live to see it fulfilled.” 4. “My child will soon be a motherless child. But I am not worried in the least as to whether after me my child will be carefully nursed, properly looked after and brought up in a manner befitting his future.” 5. “To you Prajapati, I entrust my child, I have no doubt that you will be to him more than his mother.” 6. “Now do not be sorry. Permit me to die. God’s call has come and His messengers are waiting to take me.” So saying, Mahamaya breathed her last. Both Suddhodana and Prajapati were greatly grieved and wept bitterly. 7. Siddharth was only seven days old when his

9 FROM BIRTH TO PARIVRAJA I mother died. 8. Siddharth had a younger brother by name Nanda. He was the son of Suddhodana born to Mahaprajapati. 9. He had also several cousins, Mahanama and Anuruddha, sons of his uncle Suklodan, Ananda, son of his uncle Amitodan, and Devadatta, son of his aunt Amita. Mahanama was older than Siddharth and Ananda was younger. 10. Siddharth grew up in their company. § 6. Childhood and Education 1. When Siddharth was able to walk and speak the elders of the Sakyas assembled and asked Suddhodana that the boy should be taken to the temple of the village goddess Abhya. 2. Suddhodana agreed and asked Mahaprajapati to dress the boy. 3. While she was doing so the child Siddharth, with a most sweet voice, asked his aunt where he was being taken. On learning that he was being taken to the temple he smiled. But he went, conforming to the custom of the Sakyas. 4. At the age of eight Siddharth started his education. 5. Those very eight Brahmins whom Suddhodana had invited to interpret Mahamaya’s dream and who had predicted his future were his first teachers. 6. After they had taught him what they knew Suddhodana sent for Sabbamitta of distinguished descent and of high lineage in the land of Uddikka, a philologist and grammarian, well read in the Vedas, Vedangas and Upanishads. Having poured out water of dedication from a golden vase, Suddhodana handed over the boy to his charge, to be taught. He was his second teacher. 7. Under him Gautama mastered all the philosophic systems prevalent in his day. 8. Besides this he had learned the science of concentration and meditation from one Bhardawaj, a

10 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES I disciple of Alara Kalam, who had his ashram at Kapilavatsu. § 7. Early Traits 1. Whenever he went to his father’s farm and found no work he repaired to a quiet place, and practised meditation. 2. While everything for the cultivation of the mind was provided, his education in the military science befitting a Kshatriya was not neglected. 3. For Suddhodana was anxious not to make the mistake of having cultivated the mind of his son at the cost of his manliness. 4. Siddharth was of kindly disposition. He did not like exploitation of man by man. 5. Once he went to his father’s farm with some of his friends and saw the labourers ploughing the land, raising bunds, cutting trees, etc., dressed in scanty clothes under a hot burning sun. 6. He was greatly moved by the sight. 7. He said to his friends, can it be right that one man should exploit another ? How can it be right that the labourer should toil and the master should live on the fruits of his labour ? 8. His friends did not know what to say. For they believed in the old philosophy of life that the worker was born to serve and that in serving his master he was only fulfilling his destiny. 9. The Sakyas used to celebrate a festival called Vapramangal. It was a rustic festival performed on the day of sowing. On this day custom had made it obligatory on every Sakya to do ploughing personally. 10. Siddharth always observed the custom and did engage himself in ploughing. 11. Though a man of learning, he did not despise manual labour. 12. He belonged to a warrior class and had been taught archery and the use of weapons. But he did not like causing unnecessary injury. 13. He refused to join hunting parties. His

11 FROM BIRTH TO PARIVRAJA I friends used to say : “Are you afraid of tigers ?” He used to retort by saying, “I know you are not going to kill tigers, you are going to kill harmless animals such as deer and rabbits.” 14. “If not for hunting, come to witness how accurate is the aim of your friends,” they said. Even such invitations Siddharth refused, saying ; “I do not like to see the killing of innocent animals.” 15. Prajapati Gautami was deeply worried over this attitude of Siddharth. 16. She used to argue with him saying : “You have forgotten that you are a Kshatriya and fighting is your duty. The art of fighting can be learned only through hunting for only by hunting can you learn how to aim accurately. Hunting is a training ground for the warrior class.” 17. Siddharth often used to ask Gautami : “But, mother, why should a Kshatriya fight? And Gautami used to reply : “Because it is his duty.” 18. Siddharth was never satisfied by her answer. He used to ask Gautami : “Tell me, how can it be the duty of man to kill man?” Gautami argued, “Such an attitude is good for an ascetic. But Kshatriyas must fight. If they don’t, who will protect the kingdom ?” 19. “But mother ! If all Kshatriyas loved one another, would they not be able to protect their kingdom without resort to killing?” Gautami had to leave him to his own opinion. 20. He tried to induce his companions to join him in practising meditation. He taught them the proper pose. He taught them to fix their mind on a subject. He advised them to select such thoughts as “May I be happy, may my relations be happy, may all living animals be happy.” 21. But his friends did not take the matter seriously. They laughed at him. 22. On closing their eyes they could not concentrate on their subject of meditation. Instead, some saw before their eyes deer for shooting or sweets for eating.