z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 07.indd MK SJ+YS 5 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 505
CRITICS OF HIS DOCTRINES
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§ 1. Critics of Open Admission to the Sangh
It was open for the Sangh to admit a layman who was merely a disciple.
There were persons who criticised the Lord for making the Sangh a wide open temple for anybody to enter.
They argued that under such a scheme it may well happen that after they have been admitted into the Order they give it up, and return again to the lower state and by their back-sliding the people are led to say : “ Vain must be this religion of Samana Gotama, which these men have given up.”
The criticism was not well founded and had altogether missed the intention of the Blessed Lord in making such a scheme.
The Blessed Lord replied that in establishing his religion he had constructed a bathing tank full of the excellent waters of emancipation—the bath of good law.
It was the Lord’s desire that whosoever is polluted with stains of sin, he, bathing in it, can wash away all his sins.
And if anyone, having gone to the bathing tank of good law, should not bathe in it, but turn back polluted as before and return again to the lower state, it is he who is to be blamed and not the religion.
“Or could I,” said the Blessed Lord, “after constructing this bathing tank for enabling people to wash away their sins, say : ‘ Let no one who is dirty go down into this tank ! Let only those whose dust and dirt have been washed away, who are purified and stainless go down into the tank.’
“ On such terms what good would have been my religion ? ”
The critics forgot that the Blessed Lord did not wish to confine the benefit only to a few. He wanted to keep it open to all, to be tried by all.
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