Vol. 11 · pages 536–540

517 FRIENDS AND ADMIRERS VI § 1. Devotion of Dhananjanani—a Brahmini 1. The Blessed Lord had many friends and admirers. Among them was Dhananjanani. 2. She was the wife of a Bharadvaja Brahmin. Her husband hated the Lord. But Dhananjanani was a devotee of the Lord. Her devotion is worthy of mention. 3. The Exalted One was once staying near Rajagraha in the bamboo grove at the Vihara known as the squirrels feeding ground. 4. Now at that time Dhananjanani, a Brahmini, the wife of a certain Brahmin of the Bharadvaja family, was living with her husband in Rajagraha. 5. While her husband was a great opponent of the Buddha, Dhananjanani was a fervent believer in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Order. She was in the habit of praising, the triple gem. Whenever she broke out in this way in praise, her husband used to close his ears. 6. On the eve of his giving a great banquet to many fellow-Brahmins, he begged her to do what she liked, provided she did not offend his guests by her praises of the Buddha. 7. Dhananjanani would give no such undertaking and he threatened to slice her like a plantain with his dagger. She declared herself ready to suffer, so she retained her freedom of speech and proceeded to pour forth five hundred verses on her theme, so that he surrendered unconditionally. 8. Bowl and golden spoon were laid down and the guests sat down for food. While serving the guests the dominant impulse arose. In the midst she turned towards the bamboo grove and uttered the praises of the triple gem. 9. The scandalized guests hurried away, spitting out the food defiled by the presence of a heretic and the husband scolded her amid the ruins of his feast. 10. And she, while serving the Bharadvaja with his dinner, came before him and praised the gem.

518 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES VI Glory to that Exalted One, the Arahant, the Buddha Supreme! Glory to the Norm ! Glory to the Order! 11. And when she had so said the Bharadvaja Brahmin grew angry and exclaimed: “There now ! You wretch! Must you be singing the praises of that shaveling friar at any and every opportunity ? Now, wretch, will I give that teacher of thine a piece of my mind!” 12. “O Brahmin,” replied Dhananjanani, “I know of no one throughout the world of gods, Maras, or Brahmas, recluses or brahmins, no one human or divine, who could so admonish that Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme. Nevertheless, go thou, Brahmin, and then thou wilt know.” 13. Then the Bharadvaja, vexed and displeased, went to find the Exalted One; and coming into his presence, exchanged with him greetings and compliments, friendly and courteous, and sat down at one side. 14. So seated, he asked the Exalted One the following questions : “What must we slay if we would happy live ? What must we slay if we could weep no more ? What is above all other things, whereof the slaughter thou approvest, Gotama?” 15. The Exalted One replied as follows: “Wrath must ye slay if ye would happy live ; Wrath must ye slay if ye would weep no more. Of anger, Brahmin, with its poisoned source, and fevered climax, murderously sweet. That is the slaughter by the Ariyans praised. That must ye slay in sooth, to weep no more.” 16. Realizing the excellence of the reply given by the Exalted One, the Bharadvaja Brahmin said to him: “Most excellent, Lord, most excellent! Just as if a man were to set up that which had been thrown down, or were to reveal that which was hidden away, or were to point out the right road to him who had gone astray, or were to bring a lamp into the darkness so that those who had eyes could see external objects—even so, Lord, has the Lord Gotama shown me his doctrine in various ways. I, even I, Lord, betake myself to the

519 FRIENDS AND ADMIRERS VI Exalted One as my refuge to the Norm and to the Order. I would leave the world under the rule of Gotama; I would take orders.” 17. So Dhananjanani was not only a devotee of the Buddha, she made her husband also a devotee of the Buddha. § 2. The Abiding Faith of Visakha 1. Visakha was born in the city of Bhadiya in the Anga country. 2. Her father was Dhananjaya and her mother’s name was Sumana. 3. Once the Buddha visited Bhadiya with a large company of monks at the invitation of the Brahmin Sela. Visakha his granddaughter was then seven years old. 4. Visakha though only seven expressed to her grandfather Mendaka her desire to see the Buddha. Mendaka allowed her to do so and gave her five hundred companions, five hundred slaves, and five hundred chariots, that she might visit the Buddha. 5. She stopped the chariot some distance away and approached the Buddha on foot. 6. He preached to her the Dhamma and she became his lay disciple. 7. For the next fortnight Mendaka invited the Buddha and his followers daily to his house, where he fed them. 8. Later, when at Pasendi’s request, Bimbisara sent Dhananjaya to live in Kosala, Visakha accompanied her parents and lived in Saketa. 9. Migara, a wealthy citizen of Shravasti, wanted to get his son Punnavadhana married. He had sent a few people to find a suitable bride. 10. The party in search of a bride happened to come to Shravasti. They saw Visakha on her way to the lake to bathe on a feast day. 11. At that moment there was a great shower, Visakha’s companions ran for shelter. But Visakha

520 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES VI did not. She walked at her usual pace and reached the spot where the messengers were. 12. They asked her why she did not run for shelter and so preserve her clothes. She answered that she had plenty of clothes, but that if she ran she might damage a limb which she could not replace. “ Unmarried girls,” she said, “are like goods awaiting sale, they must not be disfigured.” 13. The party which was already struck by her beauty was greatly impressed by her intelligence. The party offered her a bouquet of flowers which she accepted as a proposal of marriage. 14. After Visakha returned home the marriage party followed her and laid Punnavadhana’s suit before Dhananjaya. The proposal was accepted and confirmed by an exchange of letters. 15. When Pasendi heard of it, he offered to accompany Punnavadhana to Saketa, as a mark of signal honour. Dhananjaya welcomed the king and his retinue, Migara, Punnavadhana and their followers with all regard, attending personally to all the details of hospitality. 16. Five hundred goldsmiths were engaged to make ornaments for the bride. Dhananjaya gave his daughter, as dowry, five hundred carts full of money, five hundred with vessels of gold and cattle, etc. 17. When the time came for Visakha to leave, Dhananjaya gave her ten admonitions, which Migara overheard from the next room. These admonitions were: Not to give fire from the house outside: not to take into the house fire from without; to give only to those who gave in return, not to give to those who did not give in return, to give him that gives and to him that gives not; to seat, eat and eat happily; and to tend the fire and to honour the household deities. 18. On the following day Dhananjaya appointed eight householders to be sponsors to his daughter and inquire into any charges that might be brought against her. 19. Migara wanted that his daughter-in-law should be seen by the public of Shravasti. Visakha

521 FRIENDS AND ADMIRERS VI entered Shravasti standing in her chariot with the public lining the road on both sides. The public showered gifts on her, but these she distributed among the people. 20. Migara was a follower of the Niganthas and soon after Visakha’s arrival in his house, he sent for them and told her to minister to them. But Visakha repulsed by their nudity, refused to pay them homage. 21. The Niganthas urged that she should be sent away, but Migara bided his time. 22. One day as Migara was eating, while Visakha stood fanning him, a monk was seen standing outside the house. Visakha stood aside that Migara might see him. But Migara continued to eat without noticing the monk. 23. Seeing this Visakha said to the monk, “Pass on, sir, my father-in-law eats stale fare.” Migara was angry and threatened to send her away, but at her request the matter was referred to her sponsors. 24. They inquired into the several charges brought against her and adjudged her not guilty. 25. Visakha then gave orders that preparations be made for her return to her parents. Both Migara and his wife begged for forgiveness which she granted, on condition that he would invite to the house the Buddha and his monks. 26. This he did, but, owing to the influence of the Niganthas, he left Visakha to entertain them, and only consented to hear the Buddha’s sermon at the end of the meal from behind a curtain. 27. He was, however, so convinced by the sermon that he became a convert. 28. His gratitude towards Visakha was boundless. Henceforth he considered her to be his mother deserving all the honours due to a mother. From this time onward she was called Migarmata. 29. Such was the abiding faith of Visakha. § 3. The Devotion of Mallika 1. Once while the Lord was staying at Shravasti in Jeta’s grove the darling son of a certain house-