z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 06.indd MK SJ+YS 5 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 454
454 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
as unstained as lotus leaf whereon no drop of water rests.
- “I now pass to the conduct which perfects the lay followers. To them I say:
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“Slay not, nor doom to death, nor sanction slaughter. Do no violence to aught that lives, strong or weak. Love all living beings.
“No layman wittingly should thieve or order theft ; take but what others give.
“Shun incontinence as it were a pit of fire, on failing continence, debauch no wedded wife.
“In conclaves, courts, let him not be, let him not prompt or sanction lies; let him renounce untruth.
“Observe this law : Shun drink, make no man drink ; sanction no drinking. Mark how drink to madness leads.
“Through drink, fools sin, and egg lax brethren on to sin. So flee this maddening vice, this folly, bliss of fools.
“Slay not, steal not, lie not ; from strong drink keep away ; refrain from lechery.
“So make thy sabbath vows as week succeeds week, and keep with pious hearts this eight-fold festival.
“At morn, these vows performed, with pious, thankful heart, be wise and of thy means give almsmen food and drink.
“Cherish thy parents well; follow a righteous trade.
“Thus shall the layman, staunch, reach realms of light above.”
It will thus be seen that the Dhamma was the same for both.
There are of course differences in the call made upon the two.
A Bhikkhu must take five vows.
He must take the vow that he shall not kill.
He must take the vow that he shall not appropriate to himself property of another which has not been given to him.
He must take the vow that he shall never tell a lie.