Vol. 3 · pages 191–195

178 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 7. It is in respect only of trifling things, of matters of little value, of mere morality, that an unconverted man. when praising the Tathagata, would speak. And what are such trifling, minor details of mere morality that he would praise? (4) (The Moralities. Part I). 8. “Putting away the killings of living things, Gotama the recluse holds aloof from the destruction of life. He has laid the cudgel and the sword aside, and ashamed of roughness, and full of mercy, he dwells compassionate and kind to all creatures that have life.” It is thus that the unconverted man, when speaking in praise of the Tathagata, might speak. Or he might say: “Putting away the taking of what has not been given, Gotama the recluse lived aloof from grasping what is not his own. He takes only what is given, and expecting that gifts will come, he passes his life in honesty and purity of heart.” Or he might say: “Putting away unchastity, Gotama the recluse is chaste. He holds himself aloof, far off, from the vulgar practice, from the sexual act.” 9. Or he might say: “Putting away lying words, Gotama the recluse holds himself aloof from falsehood. He speaks truth from the truth he never swerves; faithful and trustworthy, he breaks not his word to the world”. Or he might say: “Putting away slander, Gotama the recluse holds himself aloof from calumny. What he hears here he repeats not elsewhere to raise a quarrel against the people here; what he hears elsewhere he repeats not here to raise a quarrel against the people there. Thus does he live as a binder together of those who are divided, an encourager of those who are friends, a peacemaker, a lover of peace, impassioned for peace, a speaker of words that make for peace.” Or he might say: “Putting away rudeness of speech, Gotama the recluse holds himself aloof from harsh language. Whatsoever word is blameless, pleasant to the ear, lovely, reaching to the heart, urbane, pleasing to the people, beloved of the people—such are words he speaks.” Or he might say: “Putting away frivolous talk, Gotama the recluse holds himself aloof from vain conversation. In season he speaks, in accordance with the facts, words full of meaning, on religion, on the discipline of the Order. He speaks, and at the right time, words worthy to be laid up in one’s heart, fitly illustrated, clearly divided, to the point.”

179 REFORMERS AND THEIR FATE 10. Or he might say: “Gotama the recluse holds himself aloof from causing injury to seeds or plants. He takes but one meal a day, not eating at night, refraining from food after hours (after midday). He refrains from being a spectator at shows at fairs with nautch dances, singing, and music. He abstains from wearing, adorning, or ornamenting himself with garlands, scents, and unguents. He abstains from the use of the large and lofty beds. He abstains from accepting silver or gold. He abstains from accepting uncooked grain. He abstains from accepting raw meat. He abstains from accepting women or girls. He abstains from accepting bondmen or bond-women. He abstains from accepting sheep or goats. He abstains from accepting fowls or swine. He abstains from accepting elephants, cattle, horses and mare. He abstains from accepting cultivated fields or waste. He abstains from the acting as a go-between or messenger. He abstains from buying and selling. He abstains from cheating with scales or bronzes or measures. He abstains from the crooked ways of bribery, cheating, and fraud. He abstains from maiming, murder, putting in bonds, highway robbery, dacoity, and violence.” Such are the things, brethren, which an unconverted man, when speaking in praise of the Tathagata might say. …. Here ends the Kula Sila (the Short Paragraphs on Conduct). ….. 11. Or he might say: “Whereas some recluses and Brahmans, while living on food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to the injury of seedlings and growing plants whether propagated from roots or cuttings or joints or buddings or seeds—Gotama the recluse holds aloof from such injury to seedlings and growing plants.” 12. Or he might say: “Whereas some recluses and Brahmans, while living on food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to the use of the things stored up; stores, to wit, of foods, drinks, clothing, equipages, bedding, perfumes, and curry-stuffs—Gotama the recluse holds aloof from such use of things stored up.” 13. Or he might say: “Whereas some recluses and Brahmans, while living on food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to visiting shows; that is to say,

180 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES (1) Nautch dances (nakkam), (2) Singings of songs (gitam) (3) Instrumental music (vaditam) (4) Shows at fairs (pekham) (5) Ballads recitations (akkhanam) (6) Hand music (paniseram) (7) The chanting of bards (vetala) (8) Tam-tam playing (kumbhathunam) (9) Fair scences (sobhanagarkam) (10) Acrobatic feats by Kandalas (Kandala-vamsa-dhopanam) (11) Combats of elephants, horses, buffaloes, bulls, goats, rams, cocks and quails. (12) Bouts at quarterstaff, boxing, wrestling. (13)-(16) Sham-fights, roll-calls, manoeuvres, reviews. Gotama the recluse holds aloof from visiting such shows.” 14. Or he might say: “Whereas some recluses and Brahmans, while living on food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to games and recreations; that is to say, (1) Games on boards with eight, or with ten, rows of squares. (2) The same games played by imagining such boards in the air. (3) Keeping going over diagrams drawn’ on the ground so that one steps only where one ought to go. (4) Either removing the pieces or men from a heap with one’s nail, or putting them into a heap, in each case without shaking it. He who shakes the heap, loses. (5) Throwing dice. (6) Hitting a short stick with a long one. (7) Dipping the hand with the fingers stretched out in lac, or red dye, or flour water, and striking the wet hand on the ground or on a wall, calling out ‘What shall it be?’ and showing the form requires—elephants, horses etc., (8) Games with balls. (9) Blowing through toy pipes made of leaves. (10) Ploughing with toy ploughs. (11) Turning summersaults. (12) Playing with toy windmills made of palm leaves. (13) Playing with toy measures made of palm leaves. (14, 15) Playing with toy carts or toy bows. (16) Guessing at letters traced in the air, or on a playfellow’s back. (17) Guessing the playfellow’s thoughts. (18) Mimicry of deformities. Gotama the recluse holds aloof from such games and recreations.”

181 REFORMERS AND THEIR FATE 15. Or he might say: “Whereas some recluses and Brahmans, while living on food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to the use of high and large couches; that is to say, (1) Moveable settees, high, and six feet long (Asandi). (2) Divans with animal figures carved on the supports (Pallanko). (3) Goats’ hair coverings with very long fleece (Ganako). (4) Patchwork counterpanes of many colours (Kittaka). (5) White blankets (Patika). (6) Woollen coverlets embroidered with flowers (Patalika). (7) Quilts stuffed with cotton wood (Tulika). (8) Coverlets embroidered with figures of lions, tigers, &c, (Vikatika). (9) Rugs with fur on both sides (Uddalomi). (10) Rugs with fur on one side (Ekantalomi). (11) Coverlets embroidered with gems (Katthissam). (12) Silk coverlets (Koseyyam). (13) Carpets large enough for sixteen dancers (Kuttakam). (14-16) Elephant, horse, and chariot rugs. (17) Rugs of antelope skins sewn together (Aginapaveni). (18) Rugs of skins of the plantain antelope. (19) Carpets with awnings above them (Sauttarakkhadam). (20) Sofas with red pillows for the head and feet. “ 16. Or he might say: “Whereas some recluses and Brahmans, while living on food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to the use of means for adorning and beautifying themselves: that is to say: Rubbing in scented powders on one’s body, shampooing it, and bathing it. Patting the limbs with clubs after the manner of wrestlers. The use of mirrors, eye-ointments, garlands, rouge, cosmetics, bracelets, necklaces, walking-sticks, reed cases for drugs, rapiers, sunshades, embroidered slippers, turbans, diadems, whisks of the yak’s tail, and long-fringed white robes. Gotama the recluse holds aloof from such means of adorning and beautifying the person.” 17. Or he might say: “Whereas some recluses and Brahmans while living on food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to such low conversation as these: Tales of kings, of robbers, of ministers of state: tales of war, of terrors, of battles; talk about foods and drinks, clothes, beds, garlands, perfumes; talks about relationships, equipages, villages, towns, cities, and countries; tales about women, and about heroes; gossip at street corners, or places whence water is fetched; ghost stories; desultory

182 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES talk; speculations about the creation of the land or sea, or about existence and non-existence. Gotama the recluse holds aloof from such low conversation. 18. Or he might say: “Whereas some recluses and Brahmans, while living on food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to the use of wrangling phrases: such as: “You don’t understand this doctrine and discipline, I do.” “How should you know about this doctrine and discipline?” “You have fallen into wrong views. It is I who am in the right.” “I am speaking to the point, you are not.” “You are putting last what ought to come first, and first what ought to come last.” “What you’ve excogitated so long, that’s all quite upset.” “Your challenge has been taken up.” “You are proved to be wrong.” “Set to work to clear your views.” “Disentangle yourself if you can.” Gotama the recluse holds aloof from such wrangling phrases.” 19. Or he might say: “Whereas some recluses and Brahmans, while living on food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to taking messages, going on errands, and acting as go-betweens; to wit, on kings, ministers of state, Kshatriyas, Brahmans, or young men, saying: ‘Go there, come hither, take this with you, bring that from thence.’ Gotama the recluse abstains from such servile duties.” 20. Or he might say: “Whereas some recluses and Brahmans, while living on food provided by the faithful, are tricksters, droners out (of holy words for pay), diviners, and exorcists, ever hungering to add gain to gain. Gotam the recluse holds aloof from such deception and patter.” Here ends the Majjhima Sila (the Longer Paragraphs on Conduct). ........ 21. Or he might say: “Whereas some recluses and Brahmans, while living on food provided by the faithful, earn their living by wrong means of livelihood, by low arts, such as these: (1) Palmistry—prophesying long life, prosperity, &c, (or the reverse), from marks on a child’s hands, feet, &c. (2) Divining by means of omens and signs. (3) Auguries drawn from thunderbolts and other celestial portents. (4) Prognostication by interpreting dreams. (5) Fortune-telling from marks on the body.