z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 08.indd MK SJ+YS 5 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 550
550 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
VII
renowned founders of sects, esteemed as holy men by the multitude, men like Purana Kassapa, Makkhali of the Cow-pen, Ajita of hairshirt, Kacchayana of the Pakudha tree, Sanjaya, son of Belatthi, and Nigantha of the Natha clan,—have all these, as they say, realised by their own knowledge the truth of things, or have they not one and all so realised, or have some realised and others not realised it, by their own knowledge ?”
“Let be, Subhadda ! Trouble not yourself about such things, as to whether one and all or some have realised or not. I will show you the Norm, Subhadda. Do you listen carefully. Apply your mind. I will speak.”
“Even so, Lord,” said Subhadda the Wanderer and gave heed to the Exalted One. Then the Exalted One said this:
“In whatsoever Norm-discipline, Subhadda, the Ariyan Eightfold Path is not found, therein also no recluse is found. And in whatsoever Norm-discipline, Subhadda, the Ariyan Eightfold Path is found, therein also is found a recluse.
“Now in this Norm-discipline (of mine), Subhadda, the Ariyan Eightfold Path is found. Herein also is found a recluse of these four degrees. Void of recluses are the other sects of disputants. But if, Subhadda, in this one, brethren were to live the perfect life, the world would not be void of arahats.
“My age was nine and twenty years when I went forth to seek the Good.
“Now fifty years and more are gone, Subhadda, since I left the world to range the Norm of Righteousness.”
And when he had thus spoken, Subhadda the Wanderer said to the Exalted One: “Most excellent are these words of thy mouth, most excellent.
“Just as if a man were to set up that which is thrown down, or were to reveal that which is hidden away, or were to point out the right road to him who has gone astray or were to bring a lamp into darkness, so that those who have eyes can see.
“Just even so, has the truth been made