z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 06.indd MK SJ+YS 5 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 461
VINAYA FOR THE LAITY
461
“My father, when he was dying, said to me : ‘Dear son, you should worship the quarters of earth and sky. So I, sir, honouring my father’s word worship in this wise.’”
“But how can this be the true religion of a man of the world” asked the Blessed One. “ What else can be the religion of man,” replied Sigala. “ If there is, it would be an excellent thing if the Exalted One would tell me what it is.”
“Hear then young householder, give ear to my words and I will tell you what it is.” “ So be it, Sir,” responded young Sigala. And the Exalted One said :
“A religion to be a religion of man must teach him to shun bad conduct. The destruction of life, the taking of what is not given, licentiousness and lying speech are the four vices, of conduct which he must avoid.
“Know ye, Sigala, evil deeds are done from motives of partiality, enmity, stupidity and fear. If he is not led away by these motives, he will do no evil deed.
“A religion to be religion of man must teach him not to dissipate his wealth. Dissipation of wealth results from being addicted to intoxicating liquors, frequenting the streets at unseemly hours, haunting fairs, being infatuated by gambling, associating with evil companions, the habit of idleness.
“There are, Sigala, six dangers which follow from being addicted to intoxicating liquors, actual loss of wealth, increase of quarrels, susceptibility to disease, loss of good character, indecent exposure, impaired intelligence.
“Six are the perils from frequenting the streets at unseemly hours : he himself is without guard or protection and so also are his wife and children, so also is his property, he, moreover, becomes suspected as the doer of undiscovered crimes, and false rumours fix on him, and many are the troubles he goes out to meet.
“Six are the perils from the haunting of fairs:
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