Vol. 11 · pages 391–395

372 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES IV 2. Those who know true as true and false as false, there abides right-mindedness-these arrive at the truth. 3. As rain gets into an ill-thatched house, so craving gets into an ill-trained mind. 4. As rain gets not into a well-thatched house, so craving gets not into a well-trained mind. 5. Arise! Be not negligent! Walk the Good Way of the Teaching! Who walks in the way of the teaching, happy is he in this and in all worlds. 6. Walk the Good Way of the teaching; walk not in ways that are evil. Who walks in the way of the teaching, happy he lives in this and in all worlds.

PART IV His Sermons Section I—Sermons for Householders. 1. The Happy Householder. 2. Daughter may be better than a son. 3. Husband and wife. Section II—Sermons on the need for maintaining character. 1. What constitutes the downfall of man. 2. The wicked man. 3. The best man. 4. The enlightened man. 5. Man—just and good. 6. Need for doing good deeds. 7. Need for making good resolutions. Section III—Sermons on Righteousness. 1. What is Righteousness. 2. Need for Righteousness. 3. Righteousness and the claims of the world. 4. How to reach perfection in Righteous Conduct. 5. One need not wait for a companion to tread on the path of Righteousness. Section IV—Sermons on Nibbana. 1. What is Nibbana. 2. The roots of Nibbana. Section V—Sermons on Dhamma. 1. Why right views rank first. 2. Why bother about life after death. 3. Prayers and invocations to God are a futility. 4. It is not what you eat that makes you holy. 5. Not food but evil actions that matter. 6. Not enough is outward washing. 7. What is holy life ? Section VI—Sermons on Socio-political questions. 1. Do not depend on the favour of princes. 2. If the king is righteous his subjects will be righteous. 3. It is the social system on which depends political and military strength. 4. War is wrong. 5. The duties of a victor, who has won peace.

375 HIS SERMONS IV SECTION I SERMONS FOR HOUSEHOLDERS § 1 The Happy Householder 1. Once Anathapindika came to where the Exalted One was, made obeisance to the Exalted One and took a seat at one side. 2. Anathapindika was anxious to know wherein lay the happiness of a householder. 3. Accordingly Anathapindika asked the Lord to explain to him the secret of the householder’s happiness. 4. The Lord said first is the happiness of possession. A householder is possessed of wealth, justly and righteously acquired by great industry, amassed by strength of the arm, and earned by sweat (of the brow). At the thought ‘I am possessed of wealth justly gained’ he gains happiness. 5. Second is the happiness of enjoyment. A householder is possessed of wealth justly and righteously acquired by great industry amassed by strength of the arm, and earned by sweat (of the brow), enjoys his wealth and performs acts of merit. Thus at the thought ‘I am doing meritorious deeds with my wealth which was justly gained’ and so forth he gains happiness. 6. Third is the happiness of freedom from debt. A householder, owes no one any debt great or small, thus he gains happiness, thus he at the thought of ‘ I owe no man anything’ and so forth, gains happiness. 7. Fourth is the happiness of blamelessness. A householder, who is endowed with blameless action of body, blameless speech and blameless thinking, gains happiness of blamelessness. 8. Verily, Anathapindika, these four kinds of happiness are constantly obtainable by the householder, if he strives for them. § 2. Daughter may be better than a Son 1. When the Exalted One was once at Shravasti, the king of the Kosalas, Pasendi, had come to visit him.

376 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES IV 2. While the king was engaged in a conversation with the Blessed Lord a messenger from the Palace arrived and approaching the king, announced to his private ear that Queen Mallika had given birth to a daughter. 3. The king appeared very sad and depressed. The Blessed Lord asked the king the reason of his sadness. 4. The king replied that he had just received the sad news that Queen Mallika had given birth to a daughter. 5. Thereupon the Exalted One, discerning the matter said : ‘A woman child, O lord of men, may prove even a better offspring than a male. For she may grow up wise and virtuous, her husband’s mother reverencing true wife, a daughter. 6. The boy that she may bear may do great deeds and rule great realms, yea, such a son of a noble wife becomes his country’s guide. § 3. Husband and Wife 1. At one time, the Exalted One had entered the high road between Madhura and Neranja. Also many householders and their wives had joined the high road between Madhura and Neranja. 2. Then the Exalted One having left the road took a seat under a certain tree, and these householders and their wives saw the Exalted One seated under it. 3. So seeing they came to where the Exalted One was. Having come they made obeisance to the Exalted One and sat at one side and asked the Blessed One the right relations between the husband and wife. To the householders and their wives so seated the Exalted One spake thus : 4. “Householders, there are four ways for a husband and wife, of living together. A vile man lives with a vile woman, a vile man lives with a goddess, a god lives with a vile woman and a god lives with a goddess. 5. “ Householders! a husband kills, steals ;