Vol. 11 · pages 496–500

477 HIS BENEFACTORS VI Exalted One instructed her with religious discourse. 5. Then she addressed the Exalted One, and said: “ May the Exalted One do me the honour of taking his meal, together with the brethren, at my house tomorrow ?” 6. And the Exalted One gave, by silence, his consent. Then when Ambrapali the courtesan saw that the Exalted One had consented, she rose from her seat and bowed down before him, and keeping him on her right hand as she passed him, she departed thence. 7. Now the Licchavis of Vesali heard that the Exalted One had arrived at Vesali, and was staying at Ambrapali’s grove. They too wanted to invite the Buddha to their place for a meal. And ordering a number of state carriages to be made ready, they each mounted one of them and went forth with their train from Vesali. 8. They and Ambrapali crossed on the way. 9. And Ambrapali drove up against the young Licchavis, axle to axle, wheel to wheel, and yoke to yoke, and the Licchavis said to Ambrapali the courtesan, “ How is it, Ambrapali, that thou drivest up against us thus ?” 10. “ My Lords, I have just invited the Exalted One and his brethren for their morrow’s meal,” said Ambrapali. 11. “Ambrapali, sell this honour to us for a hundred thousand,” said they. 12. “ My Lords, were you to offer all Vesali with its subject territory, I would not give it up.” 13. The Licchavis cast up their hands, exclaiming: “We are outdone by this mango girl. We are out-reached by this mango girl,” and they went on to Ambrapali’s grove. 14. Knowing that they were outdone they still thought of approaching the Blessed One in the hope that he might reconsider and give their invitation first preference. So they went on to Ambrapali’s grove. 15. When the Exalted One saw the Licchavis approaching in the distance, he addressed the brethren

478 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES VI and said: “Brethren, let those of the brethren who have never seen the devas, gaze upon this company of the Licchavis, behold this company of the Licchavis, compare this company of the Licchavis—for they are even a company of next-world devas.” 16. And when they had ridden as far as the ground was passable for carriages the Licchavis alighted there, and then went on foot to the place where the Exalted One was, and took their seats respectfully by his side. 17. Then they addressed the Exalted One, and said : “May the Exalted One do us the honour of taking his meal, together with the brethren, at our house tomorrow ?” 18. “ I have promised, Licchavis, to dine tomorrow with Ambrapali,” was the reply. 19. Then the Licchavis knew that they had failed. And after expressing their thanks and approval of the words of the Exalted One, they rose from their seats and bowed down before the Exalted One, and keeping him on their right hand as they passed him, departed thence. 20. And at the end of the night Ambrapali the courtesan made ready in her mansion sweet rice and cakes, and announced the time to the Exalted One, saying: “The hour, Lord, has come, and the meal is ready.” 21. And the Exalted One who had dressed himself early in the morning, took his bowl, and his robe and went with the brethren to the place where Ambrapali’s mansion was ; and when he had come there he seated himself on the seat prepared for him. And Ambrapali, the courtesan, set the sweet rice and cakes before the order, with the Buddha at their head, and waited upon them till they refused any more. 22. And when the Blessed One had quite finished his meal and had cleansed the bowl and his hands, the courtesan had a low stool brought, and sat down at his side, and addressed the Exalted One , and said : 23. “Lord, I present my pleasance to you and to the order.” And the Exalted One accepted the gift; and

479 HIS BENEFACTORS VI after giving a religious discourse he rose from his seat and took her leave. § 5. Munificence of Vishakha 1. Vishakha was a wealthy woman of Shravasti. She had many children and grandchildren. 2. When the Blessed One stayed at Shravasti, Vishakha went up to the place where the Blessed One was, and tendered Him an invitation to take his meal at her house, which the Blessed One accepted. 3. And heavy rain fell during the night and the next morning ; and the bhikkhus doffed their robes to keep themselves dry and let the rain fall upon their bodies. 4. When the next day the Blessed One had finished his meal, she took her seat at his side and spoke thus; “ Eight are the boons, Lord, which I beg of the Blessed One.” 5. Then the Blessed One said: “ The Tathagatas, O Vishakha, grant no boons unless they know what they are.” 6. Vishakha replied: “Proper, Lord, and unobjectionable are the boons I ask.” 7. Having received permission to ask the boons, Vishakha said: “ I desire, Lord, through all my life to bestow robes for the rainy season on the Sangha, and food for incoming bhikkhus, and food for outgoing bhikkhus and food for the sick, and food for those who wait upon the sick, and medicine for the sick, and a constant supply of rice-milk for the Sangha, and bathing robes for the bhikkhunis, the sisters.” 8. “ But,” said the Lord, “What, O Vishakha, have you in view in asking these eight boons of the Tathagata ?” 9. And Vishakha replied: “I gave command, Lord, to my maid-servant, saying, ‘ Go thou and announce to the fraternity that the meal is ready,’ and my maid went, but when she came to the vihara, she observed that the bhikkhus had doffed their robes, while it was raining, and she thought: ‘ These are not

480 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES VI bhikkhus, but naked ascetics letting the rain fall on them.’ So she returned to me and reported accordingly and I had to send her a second time. 10. “Impure, Lord, is nakedness, and revolting. It was this circumstance, Lord, that I had in view in desiring to provide the Sangha throughout my life with special garments for use in the rainy season. 11. “As to my second wish, Lord, an incoming bhikku, not being able to take the direct roads, and not knowing the places where food can be procured, comes on his way wearied out by seeking for alms. It was this circumstance, Lord, that I had in view in desiring to provide the Sangha throughout my life with food for incoming bhikkhus. 12. “Thirdly, Lord, an outgoing bhikkhu, while seeking about for alms, may be left behind, or may arrive too late at the place whither he desires to go, and will set out on the road in weariness. 13. “Fourthly, Lord, if a sick bhikkhu does not obtain suitable food, his sickness may increase upon him, and he may die. 14. “Fifthy, Lord, a bhikkhu who is waiting upon the sick will lose his opportunity of going out to seek food for himself. 15. “Sixthly, Lord, if a sick bhikkhu does not obtain suitable medicines, his sickness may increase upon him, and he may die. 16. “Seventhly, Lord, I have heard that the Blessed One has praised rice-milk, because it gives readiness of mind, dispels hunger and thirst; it is wholesome nourishment for the healthy and for the sick as a medicine. Therefore I desire to provide the Sangha throughout my life with constant supply of rice-milk. 17. “Finally, Lord, the bhikkhunis are in the habit of bathing in the river Archiravati with the courtesans, at the same landing-place, and naked. And the courtesans, Lord, ridicule the bhikkhunis, saying, ‘What is the good, ladies, of your maintaining chastity when you are young? When you are old, maintain chastity then; thus will you be obtainers of

481 HIS BENEFACTORS VI both ends.’ Impure, Lord, is nakedness for a woman, disgusting, and revolting. 18. “These are the circumstances, Lord, that I had in view.” 19. The Blessed One said: “ But what was the advantage you had in view for yourself, O Vishakha, in asking these eight boons of the Tathagatha ?” 20. Vishakha replied: “ Bhikkhus who have spent the rainy season in various places will come, Lord, to Shravasti to visit the Blessed One. And on coming to the Blessed One they will ask, saying: ‘ Such and such a bhikkhu, Lord, has died. What, now, is his destiny ?’ Then will the Blessed One explain that he has attained the fruits of conversion; that he has entered Nirvana or attained arhantship, as the case may be. 21. “ And I, going up to them, shall ask, ‘ Was that brother, sirs, one of those who had formerly been at Shravasti,’ then shall I arrive at the conclusion, ‘For a certainty did that brother enjoy either the robes for the rainy season, or the food for the incoming bhikkhus, or the food for the outgoing bhikkhus, or the food for the sick, or the food for those that wait upon the sick, or the medicine for the sick, or the constant supply of rice-milk.’ 22. “Then will gladness spring up within me; thus gladdend joy will come to me; and so rejoicing all my frame will be at peace. Being thus at peace I shall experience a blissful feeling of content; and in that bliss my heart will be at rest. That will be to me an exercise of my moral powers, an exercise of the seven kinds of wisdom ! This, Lord, was the advantage I had in view for myself in asking those eight boons of the Blessed One.” 23. Then the Blessed One said: “ It is well, it is well, Vishakha. Thou hast done well in asking these eight boons of the Tathagata with such advantage in view. Charity bestowed upon those who are worthy of it is like good seeds sown in good soil that yields an abundance of fruits. But alms given to those who are yet under the tyrannical yoke of the passions are like