z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 03.indd MK SJ+YS 5 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 206
206 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
pleasance to see the Lord. The Blessed Lord inquired: “What is the matter, sire ? Is there trouble with Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha, or with Licchavis of Vesali or with any other hostile power ?”
II
“No trouble at all of that sort, sir. In my realms there is a robber named Angulimala who is infesting my territories and harassing my subjects. I want to suppress him but I have failed.”
“If now, sire, you were to see Angulimala with his hair and beard off, in the yellow robes, as a pilgrim who kills not steals not, lies not, eats but one meal a day, and leads the higher life in virtue and goodness,— what would you do to him ?”
“Sir, I would salute him, or rise to meet him or would invite him to be seated or invite him to accept robes and other requisites, or I would extend to him the defence, protection and safeguards which are his due. But how could the shadow of such virtue ever extend to one so wicked and depraved?”
At that moment the Reverend Angulimala was seated quite close to the Lord, who stretching forth his right arm, said: “This, sire, is Angulimala !”
At this the king in his alarm became dumbfounded, with every hair of his body standing erect. Seeing this, the Lord said, “Fear not, sire; fear not; there is no cause for fear here.”
So the king’s fears and alarm abated ; and across to the reverend Angulimala he went, saying: “Is your reverence indeed Angulimala ?” “Yes, sire.”
“What sire, was your father’s family, and your mother’s ?” “My father was a Gagga, sire, and my mother a Mantani.”
“Be of good cheer, Gagga Mantani-putta; I will take care to supply you with all requisites.”
Now at the time the Reverend Angulimala having pledged to be resident in the wilds, subsisting on alms, and wearing clothes from the dust heap not exceeding three in number, he declined the king’s offer on the ground that he had already got his full three robes.
Then the king went across to the Lord and