z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 03.indd MK SJ+YS 5 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 142
142 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
pure and bright. In whose name, friend, have you retired from the world ? Who is your teacher ? Whose Dhamma do you profess ?”
II
Assaji replied : “There is, friend, the great recluse of the Sakya’s clan ; in this Blessed One’s name, have I retired from the world ; this Blessed One is my teacher, and it is the Dhamma of this Blessed One that I follow.”
“And what, venerable Sir, is the doctrine which your teacher holds ? And what does he preach to you ?”
“I am only a young disciple, friend ; I have but recently received ordination ; and I have newly adopted this Dhamma and discipline. I cannot explain to you the Dhamma in detail ; but I will tell you in short what it means.”
Then Sariputta, the wandering ascetic, said to the venerable Assaji : “So be it, friend, tell me as much or as little as you like, but tell me the meaning, I want just meaning. Why make so much of the letter ?”
Then the venerable Assaji explained to Sariputta the substance of the teachings of the Buddha and Sariputta was completely satisfied.
Sariputta and Moggallana, though not brothers, were bound together as though they were brothers. They had given their word to each other. He who first attains the truth shall tell the same to the other one. That was their mutual engagement.
Accordingly Sariputta went to the place where Moggallana was. Seeing him, he said to Sariputta : “Your countenance, friend, is serene ; your complexion is pure and bright. Have you then really reached the truth ?”
“Yes, friend, I have come to know the truth.” “And how, friend, have you done so ?” Then Sariputta told him what happened between him and Assaji.
Then Moggallana said to Sariputta, “Let us go, friend, and join the Blessed One ; that he, the Blessed One, may be our teacher.”
Sariputta replied : “It is on our account,