Vol. 11 · pages 591–595

573 HIS HUMANITY VIII § 1. His Compassion—The Maha Karunik 1. When once the Blessed Lord was staying in Shravasti the almsmen came and informed him that they were constantly harassed by the Deva who disturbed them in their meditations. 2. After hearing their stories of harassment the Blessed Lord gave them the following instructions :— 3. “He, who is skilled in his godness, who wishes to attain that calm state, should act thus: he should be able, upright, near perfectly upright, of noble speech, gentle and humble. 4. “Contented, easily supportable, with few duties, of light livelihood, controlled in senses, discreet, not impudent, not greedily attached to families. 5. “He should not pursue anything trifling such that other wise men might censure him. He should wish, ‘May all beings be happy and secure; may their hearts be wholesome.’ 6. “Whatever living beings there be—feeble or strong, tall, stout and medium, short, small or large, without exception; 7. “Seen or unseen, those dwelling far or near, those who are born, or who are to be born, may all beings be happy. 8. “Let none deceive another, nor despise any person whatsoever in any place, let him not wish any harm to another, out of anger or ill-will. 9. “Just as a mother would protect her only child at the risk of her own life, even so let him cultivate a boundless heart towards all beings. 10. “Let his thoughts of boundless love pervade the whole world, above, below and across without any obstruction, without any enmity. 11. “Whether he stands, walks, sits, lies down, as long as he is awake, he should develop this mindfulness, this they say is the noblest living here. 12. “Not falling into error (self-illusion), being virtuous and endowed with insight, by discarding

574 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES VIII attachment to sense desires never does he come again for conception in a womb.” 13. In short, he told them “Love your enemies.” § 2. Healing of the Stricken A Consummate Healer of Sorrow. (i) Consoling Visakha 1. Visakha was an upasika. It was her routine to give alms to the bhikkhus. 2. One day her grand-daughter, Suddata, who lived with her, fell ill and died. 3. Visakha was unable to bear the grief. 4. After cremation she went to the Buddha and sat on one side sad with tearful eyes. 5. “O Visakha,” asked the Blessed One, “wherefore dost thou sit, sad and mournful, shedding tears ?” 6. She told him of her grand-daughter’s death, saying, “she was a dutiful girl, and I cannot find her like.” 7. “How many young girls, say, are there dwelling in Shravasti, O Visakha?” 8. “Lord, men say there are several kotis (several millions).” 9. “If all these were like thy grand-daughter, wouldst thou not love them ?” 10. “Verily, Lord,” replied Visakha. 11. “And how many die daily in Shravasti?” 12. “Many, Lord.” 13. “Then there is never a moment when thou wouldst not be grieving for someone ?” 14. “True, Lord.” 15. “Wouldst thou then spend thy life weeping day and night ?” 16. “I understand Lord ; it is well said !” 17. “Grieve then, no more.”

575 HIS HUMANITY VIII (ii) Comforting Kisa Gotami 1. Kisa Gotami was married to the son of a merchant of Shravasti. 2. Soon after marriage a son was born to her. 3. Unfortunately her child died of a snake-bite before it could walk. 4. She could not believe that her child was really dead as she had not seen death before. 5. The little spot red from the bite of a snake, did not look as if it could be the cause of the child’s death. 6. She, therefore, took her dead child and wandered about from house to house, in such a wild state of mind that people believed that she had gone out of her senses. 7. At last one old man advised her to go and seek out Gotama who happened at the time to be in Shravasti. 8. So she came to the Blessed One and asked him for some medicine for her dead child. 9. The Blessed One listened to her story and to her lamentations. 10. Then the Blessed One told her, “Go enter the town, and at any house where yet there has been no death, thence bring a little mustard seed and with that I will revive your child.” 11. She thought this was easy and with the dead body of her child she entered the town. 12. But she soon found that she had failed as every house she visited had suffered loss in the death of some member. 13. As one householder told her, “the living are few and the dead are many.” 14. So she returned to the Blessed Lord disappointed and empty-handed. 15. The Blessed Lord then asked her if she did not then realize that death was the common lot of all and whether she should grieve as though it was her special misfortune.

576 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES VIII 16. She then went and cremated the child, saying: “All is impermanent; this is the law.” § 3. His Concern for the Sick (i) 1. Now at one time a certain brother was suffering from dysentery and lay where he had fallen down in his own excreta. 2. And the Exalted One going on his rounds of the lodgings, with the venerable Ananda in attendance, came to the lodging of that brother. 3. Now the Exalted One saw that brother lying where he had fallen in his own excreta and seeing him he went towards him, and said: “Brother, what ails you ?” 4. “I have dysentery, Lord.” 5. “But is there anyone taking care of you, brother ?” 6. “No, Lord.” 7. “Why is it, brother, that the brethren do not take care of you ?” 8. “I am useless to the brethren, Lord, therefore the brethren do not care for me.” 9. Then the Exalted One said to the venerable Ananda: “Go you, Ananda, and fetch water. I will wash this brother.” 10. “Yes, Lord,” replied the venerable Ananda to the Exalted One. When he had fetched the water, the Exalted One poured it out, while the venerable Ananda washed that brother all over. Then the Exalted One, taking him by the head and the venerable Ananda taking him by the feet, together they laid him on the bed. 11. Then the Exalted One, in this connection and on this occasion, gathered the Order of Brethren together, and questioned the brethren, saying: 12. “Brethren, is there in such and such a lodging a brother who is sick?” 13. “There is, Lord.” 14. “And what ails that brother?”