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130 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
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rajakas. “If it was enough,” said the Buddha to the Parivrajakas, “then a tiny babe could be proclaimed to be always doing good. For as yet, the babe does not know what a body means, much less will it do evil with its body beyond kicking about : it does not know What speech is, much less will it say anything evil beyond crying ; it does not know what thought is, beyond crying with delight ; it does not know what livelihood is, much less will it get its living in an evil way, beyond sucking its mother.
“The Path of Virtue must, therefore, be subject to test of Prajna which is another name for understanding and intelligence.
“There is also another reason why Prajnaparamita is so important and so necessary. There must be Dana. But without Prajna, Dana may have a demoralizing effect. There must be Karuna. But without Prajna, Karuna may end in supporting evil. Every act of Paramita must be tested by Prajna Paramita which is another name for wisdom.
“I premise that there must be knowledge and consciousness of what wrong conduct is, how it arises ; similarly, there must also be knowledge and consciousness of what is right conduct and wrong conduct. Without such knowledge there cannot be real goodness though the act may be good. That is why I say Prajna is a necessary virtue.”
The Buddha then concluded his sermon by addressing the following admonition to the Parivrajakas.
“You are likely to call my Dhamma pessimistic because it calls the attention of mankind to the existence of suffering. I tell you such a view of my Dhamma would be wrong.
“No doubt my Dhamma recognizes the existence of suffering but forget not that it also lays equal stress on the removal of suffering.
“My Dhamma has in it both hope and purpose.
“Its purpose is to remove Avijja, by which I mean ignorance of the existence of suffering.