Vol. 3 · pages 211–215

198 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 13. ‘King Wide-realm was gifted in the following eight ways: ‘He was well born on both sides, on the mother’s side and on the father’s, of pure descent back through seven generations, and no slur was cast upon him, and no reproach, in respect of birth.’ ‘He was handsome, pleasant in appearance, inspiring trust, gifted with great beauty of complexion, fair in colour, fine in presence, stately to behold.’ ‘He was mighty, with great wealth, and large property, with stores of silver and gold, of aids to enjoyment, of goods and corn, with his treasurehouses and his garners full’ ‘He was powerful, in command of an army, loyal and disciplined in four divisions (of elephants, cavalry, chariots, and bowmen), burning up, methinks, his enemies by his very glory.’ ‘He was a believer, and generous, a noble giver, keeping open house, a well in spring whence Samanas and Brahmans, the poor and the wayfarers, beggars, and petitioners might draw, a doer of good deeds.’ ‘He was learned in all kinds of knowledge.’ ‘He knew the meaning of what had been said, and could explain, “This saying has such and such a meaning, and that such and such “. ‘He was intelligent, expert and wise and able to think out things present or past or future. ‘And these eight gifts of his, too, became where withal to furnish forth that sacrifice.’ 14. ‘The Brahman, his chaplain was gifted in the following four ways: ‘He was well born on both sides, on the mother’s and on the father’s, of pure descent back through seven generations, with no slur cast upon him, and no reproach in respect of birth. ‘He was a student repeater who knew the mystic verses by heart, master of the three Vedas, with the indices, the ritual, the phonology, and the exegesis (as a fourth), and the legends as a fifth, learned in the idioms and the grammar, versed in Lokayata (Mature-lore) and in the thirty marks on the body of a great man. ‘He was virtuous, established in virtue, gifted with virtue that had grown great. ‘He was intelligent, expert, and wise; foremost, or at most the second, among those who hold out the ladle. ‘Thus these four gifts of his, too became wherewithal to furnish forth that sacrifice.’ 15. ‘And further, O Brahman, the chaplain, before the sacrifice had begun, explained to King Wide-realm the three modes:

199 REFORMERS AND THEIR FATE ‘Should his majesty the King, before starting on the great sacrifice, feel any such regret as : “Great, alas, will be the portion of my wealth used up herein,” let not the king harbour such regret. Should his majesty the King, whilst he is offering the great sacrifice, feel any such regret as: “Great, alas, will be the portion of my wealth used up herein “let not the king harbour such regret. Should his majesty the King, when the great sacrifice has been offered, feel any such regret as “Great, alas, will be the portion of my wealth used up herein,” let not the king harbour such regret.’ ‘Thus did the chaplain, O Brahman, before the sacrifice, had begun, explained to King Wide-realm the three modes.’ 16. ‘And further, O Brahman, the chaplain, before the sacrifice had begun, in order to prevent any compunction that might afterwards in ten ways, arise as regards those who had taken part therein, said: “Now there will come to your sacrifice, Sire, men who destroy the life of living things, and men who refrain therefrom, men who take what has not been given, and men who refrain therefrom, men who speak lies, and men who do not—men who slander and men who do not—men who speak rudely and men who do not—men who chatter vain things and men who refrain therefrom—men who covet and men who covet not—men who harbour illwill and men who harbour it not—men whose views are wrong and men whose views are right. Of each of these let them, who do evil, alone with their evil. For them who do well let your majesty offer, for them, Sire, arrange the rites, for them let the king gratify, in them shall our heart within find peace.” 17. ‘And further, O Brahman, the chaplain, whilst the king was carrying out the sacrifice, instructed and aroused and incited and gladdened his heart in sixteen ways: “Should there be people who should say of the king, as he is offering the sacrifice: ‘King Wide-realm is celebrating sacrifice without having invited the four classes of his subjects, without himself having the eight personal gifts, without the assistance of a Brahman who has the four personal gifts.’ Then would they speak not acording to the fact. For the consent of the four classes has been obtained, the king had the eight, and his Brahman has the four, personal gifts. With regard to each and every one of these sixteen conditions the king may rest assured that it has been fulfilled. He can sacrifice, and be glad, and possess his heart in peace.” 18. ‘And further, O Brahman, at that sacrifice neither were any oxen slain, neither goats, nor fowls, nor fatted pigs, nor were any kinds of living creatures put to death. No trees were cut down to be used as posts, no Dabha grasses mown to strew around the sacrificial spot. And the slaves and messengers and workmen there employed were

200 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES driven neither by rods nor fear, nor carried on their work weeping with tears upon their faces. Whoso chose to help, he worked; whoso chose not to help, worked not. What each chose to do he did; what they chose not to do, that was left undone, With ghee and oil, and butter and milk, and honey and sugar only was that sacrifice accomplished. 19. ‘And further, O Brahman, the Kshatriya vassels, and the ministers and officials, and the Brahmans of position, and the householders of substance, whether of the country or of the towns, went to King, Widerealm, taking with them much wealth, and said,” This abundant wealth, Sire, have we brought hither for the king’s use. Let his majesty accept it at our hands!” “Sufficient wealth have I, my friends, laid up, the produce of taxation that is just. Do you keep yours, and take away more with you!” When they had thus been refused by the king, they went aside, and considered thus one with the other: “It would not beseem us now, were we to take this wealth away again to our own homes. King Wide-realm is offering a great sacrifice. Let us too make an after-sacrifice!” 20. ‘So the Kshatriyas established a continual largesses to the east of the king’s sacrificial pit, and the officials to the south thereof, and the Brahmans to the west thereof, and the householders to the north thereof. And the things given, and the manner of their gift, was in all respects like unto the great sacrifice of King Wide-realm himself.’ ‘Thus, O Brahman, there was a fourfold co-operation, and King Widerealm was gifted with eight personal gifts, and his officiating Brahman with four. And there were three modes of the giving of that sacrifice. This, O Brahman, is what is called the due celebration of a sacrifice in its threefold mode and with its furniture of sixteen kinds. 21. ‘And when he had thus spoken, those Brahmans lifted up their voices in tumult, and said: “How glorious the sacrifice, how pure its accomplishment!” But Kutadanta the Brahman sat there in silence. Then those Brahmans said to Kutadanta: ‘Why do you not approve the good words of the Samana Gotama as well-said?’ ‘I do not fail to approve; for he who approves not as well-said that which has been -well spoken by the Samana Gotama, verily his head would split in twain. But I was considering that the Samana Gotama does not say: “Thus have 1 heard,” nor “Thus behoves it to be,” but says only, “Thus it was then,” or “It was like that then”. So I thought; “For a certainty the Samana Gotama himself must at that time have been King Wide-realm, or the Brahman who officiated for him at that sacrifice. Does the Venerable Gotama admit that he who celebrates such a sacrifice, or causes it to be celebrated, is reborn at the

201 REFORMERS AND THEIR FATE dissolution of the body, after death, into some state of happiness in heaven ?” ‘Yes, O Brahman, that I admit. And at that time I was the Brahman who, as chaplain, had that sacrifice performed.’ 22. ‘Is there, O Gotama, any other sacrifice less difficult and less troublesome, with more fruit and more advantage still than this?’ ‘Yes, O Brahman, there is.’ ‘And what, O Gotama, may that be?’ ‘The perpetual gifts kept up in a family where they are given specifically to virtuous recluses.’ 23. ‘But what is the reason, O Gotama, and what the cause, why such perpetual giving specifically to virtuous recluses, and kept up in a family, are less difficult and troublesome of greater fruit and greater advantage than that other sacrifice with its three modes and its accessories of sixteen kinds?’ ‘To the latter sort of sacrifice, O Brahman, neither will the Arhata go, nor such as have entered on the Arhat way. And why not ? Because in it beating with sticks takes place, and seizing by the throat. But they will go to the former, where such things are not. And therefore are such perpetual gifts above the other sort of sacrifice.’ 24. ‘And is there, O Gotama, any other sacrifice less difficult and less troublesome, of greater fruit and of greater advantage than either of these.’ ‘Yes, O Brahman, there is.’ ‘And what, O Gotama, may that be ?’ ‘The putting up of a dwelling place (Vihara) on behalf of the Order in all the four directions.’ 25. ‘And is there, O Gotama, any other sacrifice less difficult and less troublesome, of greater fruit and of greater advantage than each and all of these three?’ ‘Yes, O Brahman, there is.’ ‘And what, O Gotama, may that be?’ ‘He who with trusting heart takes a Buddha as his guide, and the Truth, and the Order—that is a sacrifice better than open largeses, better than perpetual alms, better than the gift of a dwelling place.’ 26. ‘And is there, O Gotama, any other sacrifice less difficult and less troublesome, of greater fruit and of greater advantage than all these four?’ ‘When a man with trusting heart takes upon himself the preceptsabstinence from destroying life; absitence from taking what has not been given; abstinence from evil conduct in respect of lusts; abstinence from lying words; abstinence from strong, intoxicating, maddening

202 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES drinks, the root of carelessness, that is a sacrifice better than open largesses, better than perpetual alms, better than the gift of dwelling places, better than accepting guidance.’ 27. ‘And is there, O Gotama; any other sacrifice less difficult and less troublesome, of greater fruit and of greater advantage than all these five?’ ‘Yes, O Brahman, there is.’ ‘And what, O Gotama, may that be-?’ (The answer is the long passage from the Samana-phale Sutta 40, p. 62 (of the text,) down to 75 (p. 74) on the First Ghana, as follows: 1. The Introductory paragraphs on the appearance of a Buddha, his preaching, the conversion of a hearer, and his renunciation of the world. 2. The Silas (minor morality). 3. The paragraph on Confidence. 4. The paragraph on ‘Guarded is the door of his senses.’ 5. The paragraph on ‘Mindful and self possessed.’ 6. The paragraph on Content. 7. The paragraph on Solitude. 8. The paragraph on the Five Hindrances. 9. The description of the First Ghana.) ‘This, O Brahman, is a sacrifice less difficult and less troublesome, of greater fruit and greater advantage than the previous sacrifices, (The same is then said the Second, Third, and Fourth Ghanas, in succession (as in the Samannao-phalo Sutas 77-82) and of the Insight arising from knowledge (ibid 83, 84), and further (omitting direct mention either way of 85-96 inclusive) of the knowledge of the destruction of the Asavas, the deadly intoxications or floods (ibid. 97-98). ‘And there is no sacrifice man can celebrate, O Brahman, higher and sweeter than this.’ 28. And when he had thus spoken, Kutadanta the Brahman said to the Blessed One: ‘Most excellent, O Gotama, are the words of thy mouth, most excellent! Just as if a man were to set up what has been thrown down, or were to reveal that which has been hidden away, or were to point out the right road to him who has gone astray, or were to bring a light into the darkness so that those who had eyes could see external forms—just even so has the truth been made known to me in many a figure by the Venerable Gotama. I, even I, betake myself to the Venerable Gotama as my guide, to the Doctrine and the Order. May the Venerable One accept me as a disciple, as one who, from this day