z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 04.indd MK SJ+YS 5 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 258
258 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
III
“No, indeed, Gautama.”
“Well then, Vasettha—did the ancient Rishis of the Brahmanas—did even they speak thus, saying : ‘We know it, we have seen it, where Brahma is, whither Brahma is ?’
“Not so, Gautama.”
The Buddha continued his questioning of the two Brahmin boys and said :
“Now what think you, Vasettha ? Does it not follow, this being so, that the talk of the Brahmanas about union with Brahma turns out to be foolish talk ?
“Just, Vasettha, as when a string of blind men are clinging one to the other, neither can the foremost see, nor can the middle one see, nor can the hindmost see—just even so, methinks, Vasettha, is the talk of the Brahmanas all but blind talk ? The first sees not, the middle one sees not, nor can the last one. The talk of these Brahmanas turns out to be ridiculous, mere words, a vain and empty thing.
“Just, Vasettha, as if a man should say, ‘How I long for, how I love the most beautiful woman in this land.’
“And people should ask him, ‘Well ! good friend ! This most beautiful woman in the land, whom you thus love and long for, do you know whether that beautiful woman is a noble lady or a Brahmin woman, or of the trader class, or a Sudra ? ’
“But when so asked, he would answer: ‘No.’
“And when people should ask him, ‘Well! good friend! This most beautiful woman in all the land, whom you love and long for, do you know what the name of that most beautiful woman is, or what her family name, whether she be tall or short or of medium height, dark or brunette or golden in colour, or in what village or town or city she dwells ?’ But when so asked, he would answer : ‘No.’
“Now what think you, Vasettha? Would it not turn out that being so, that the talk of that man was foolish talk ?”
“In sooth, Gautama, that would be so,” said the two Brahmins.