Vol. 11 · pages 41–45

22 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES I to dissuade him from the likely turn which he may give to his life. But they found no other means besides those they had tried. 15. And the seraglio of women wearing their garlands and ornaments in vain, with their graceful arts and endearments all fruitless, concealing their love deep in their hearts, was disbanded. § 13. Initiation into the Sakya Sangh 1. The Sakyas had their Sangh. Every Sakya youth above twenty had to be initiated into the Sangh and be a member of the Sangh. 2. Siddharth Gautama had reached the age of twenty. It was time for him to be initiated into the Sangh and become a member thereof. 3. The Sakyas had a meeting-house which they called Sansthagar. It was situated in Kapilavatsu. The session of the Sangh was also held in the Sansthagar. 4. With the object of getting Siddharth initiated into the Sangh, Suddhodana asked the Purohit of the Sakyas to convene a meeting of the Sangh. 5. Accordingly the Sangh met at Kapilavatsu in the Sansthagar of the Sakyas. 6. At the meeting of the Sangh, the Purohit proposed that Siddharth be enrolled as a member of the Sangh. 7. The Senapati of the Sakyas then rose in his seat and addressed the Sangh as follows : “Siddharth Gautama, born in the family of Suddhodana of the Sakya clan, desires to be a member of the Sangh. He is twenty years of age and is in every way fit to be a member of the Sangh. I, therefore, move that he be made a member of the Sakya Sangh. Pray, those who are against the motion speak.” 8. No one spoke against it. “A second time do I ask those who are against the motion to speak,” said the Senapati. 9. No one rose to speak against the motion. Again the Senapati said : “A third time do I ask those who are against the motion to speak.”

23 FROM BIRTH TO PARIVRAJA I 10. Even for the third time no one spoke against it. 11. It was the rule of procedure among the Sakyas that there could be no debate without a motion and no motion could be declared carried unless it was passed three times. 12. The motion of the Senapati having been carried three times without opposition, Siddharth was declared to have been duly admitted as a member of the Sakya Sangh. 13. Thereafter the Purohit of the Sakyas stood up and asked Siddharth to rise in his place. 14. Addressing Siddharth, he said : “Do you realize that the Sangh has honoured you by making you a member of it ?” “I do, sir,” replied Siddharth. 15. “Do you know the obligation of membership of the Sangh?” “I am sorry, sir, I do not. But I shall be happy to know them, sir,” said Siddharth. 16. “I shall first tell you what your duties as a member of the Sangh are “said the Purohit and he then related them one by one : “(1) You must safeguard the interests of the Sakyas by your body, mind and money. (2) You must not absent yourself from the meetings of the Sangh. (3) You must without fear or favour expose any fault you may notice in the conduct of a Sakya. (4) You must not be angry if you are accused of an offence but confess if you are guilty or state if you are innocent.” 17. Proceeding, the Purohit said : “I shall next tell you what will disqualify you for membership of the Sangh : (1) You cannot remain a member of the Sangh if you commit rape. (2) You cannot remain a member of the Sangh if you commit murder. (3) You cannot remain a member of the Sangh if you commit theft. (4) You cannot remain a member of the Sangh if you are guilty of giving false evidence.” 18. “I am grateful to you, sir,” said Siddharth, “for telling me the rules of discipline of the Sakya Sangh. I assure you I will do my best to follow them in letter and in spirit.”

24 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES I § 14. Conflict with the Sangh 1. Eight years had passed by since Siddharth was made a member of the Sakya Sangh. 2. He was a very devoted and steadfast member of the Sangh. He took the same interest in the affairs of the Sangh as he did in his own. His conduct as a member of the Sangh was exemplary and he had endeared himself to all. 3. In the eighth year of his membership, an event occurred which resulted in a tragedy for the family of Suddhodana and a crisis in the life of Siddharth. 4. This is the origin of the tragedy. 5. Bordering on the State of the Sakyas was the State of the Koliyas. The two kingdoms were divided by the river Rohini. 6. The waters of the Rohini were used by both the Sakyas and the Koliyas for irrigating their fields. Every season there used to be disputes between them as to who should take the water of the Rohini first and how much. These disputes resulted in quarrels and sometimes in affrays. 7. In the year when Siddharth was twenty-eight, there was a major clash over the waters between the servants of the Sakyas and the servants of the Koliyas. Both sides suffered injuries. 8. Coming to know of this, the Sakyas and the Koliyas felt that the issue must be settled once for all by war. 9. The Senapati of the Sakyas, therefore, called a session of the Sakya Sangh to consider the question of declaring war on the Koliyas. 10. Addressing the members of the Sangh, the Senapati said : “Our people have been attacked by the Koliyas and they had to retreat. Such acts of aggression by the Koliyas have taken place more than once. We have tolerated them so far. But this cannot go on. It must be stopped and the only way to stop it is to declare war against the Koliyas. I propose that the Sangh do declare war on the Koliyas. Those who wish to oppose may speak.”

25 FROM BIRTH TO PARIVRAJA I 11. Siddharth Gautama rose in his seat and said : “I oppose this resolution. War does not solve any question. Waging war will not serve our purpose. It will sow the seeds of another war. The slayer gets a slayer in his turn ; the conqueror gets one who conquers him ; a man who despoils is despoiled in his turn.” 12. Siddharth Gautama continued : “I feel that the Sangh should not be in haste to declare war on the Koliyas. Careful investigation should be made to ascertain who is the guilty party. I hear that our men have also been aggressors. If this be true, then it is obvious that we too are not free from blame.” 13. The Senapati replied : “Yes, our men were the aggressors. But it must not be forgotten that it was our turn to take the water first.” 14. Siddharth Gautama said : “This shows that we are not completely free from blame. I therefore propose that we elect two men from us and the Koliyas should be asked to elect two from them and the four should elect a fifth person and these should settle the dispute.” 15. The amendment moved by Siddharth Gautama was duly seconded. But the Senapati opposed the amendment, saying : “I am sure that this menace of the Koliyas will not end unless they are severely punished.” 16. The resolution and the amendment had therefore to be put to vote. The amendment moved by Siddharth Gautama was put first. It was declared lost by an overwhelming majority. 17. The Senapati next put his own resolution to vote. Siddharth Gautama again stood up to oppose it. “I beg the Sangh,” he said, “not to accept the resolution. The Sakyas and the Koliyas are close relations. It is unwise that they should destroy each other.” 18. The Senapati encountered the plea urged by Siddharth Gautama. He stressed that in war the Kshatriyas cannot make a distinction between relations and strangers. They must fight even against brothers

26 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES I for the sake of their kingdom. 19. Performing sacrifices is the duty of the Brahmins, fighting is the duty of the Kshatriyas, trading is the duty of the Vaishas and service is the duty of the Shudras. There is merit in each class forming its duty. Such is the injunction of our Shastras. 20. Siddharth replied : “Dharma, as I understand it, consists in recognising that enmity does not disappear by enmity. It can be conquered by love only.” 21. The Senapati, getting impatient, said : “It is unnecessary to enter upon this philosophical disquisition. The point is that Siddharth is opposed to my resolution. Let us ascertain what the Sangh has to say about it by putting it to vote.” 22. Accordingly the Senapati put his resolution to vote. It was declared carried by an overwhelming majority. § 15. Offer of Exile 1. Next day the Senapati called another meeting of the Sakya Sangh to have his plan of mobilisation considered by the Sangh. 2. When the Sangh met, he proposed that he be permitted to proclaim an order calling to arms for the war against the Koliyas every Sakya between the ages of 20 and 50. 3. The meeting was attended by both sides— those who at the previous meeting of the Sangh had voted in favour of a declaration of war as well as those who had voted against it. 4. For those who had voted in favour there was no difficulty in accepting the proposal of the Senapati. It was a natural consequence of their earlier decision. 5. But the minority who had voted against it had a problem to face. Their problem was—to submit or not to submit to the decision of the majority. 6. The minority was determined not to submit to the majority. That is the reason why they had