z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 08.indd MK SJ+YS 5 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 552
552 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
VII
brother, Ananda, a brother who is a novice should be called by his name or clan name or by the word ‘friend’ : but by a novice, Ananda, an elder brother should be addressed as ‘Lord’ or ‘ Your reverence.’
“Again, Ananda, if the Order so desires, when I am gone, let it abolish the lesser and minor charges.
“You know, Ananda, the brother Channa. How obstinate, perverse and devoid of the sense of discipline he is.
“And to him, Ananda, let the extreme penalty be applied when I am gone.”
“What, Lord, do you mean by ‘the extreme penalty’?”
“The brother Channa, Ananda, whatever he may say, is not to be spoken to, not to be admonished, not to be instructed by the brethren. He should be left alone. It might improve him.”
Then the Exalted One addressed the brethren:
“It may be, brothers, that in the mind of some one brother there is doubt or perplexity, either about the Buddha, or about the Norm, or the Order, or the Path, or the Way to the Path. If it be so, brothers, do ye ask now. Be not hereafter remorseful at the thought, ‘ Here was our Master face to face with us, and yet we had not the heart to question the Exalted One, though we were in His very presence.’ ”
At these words the brethren were silent.
Then a second time and yet a third time did the Exalted One address the brethren in the same words. And a third time the brethren were silent.
Then said the Exalted One: “ May be, brethren, it is out of respect for the Master that ye ask not. Speak to me, then, as friend to friend, brethren.”
Whereat those brethren were silent.
Then exclaimed the venerable Ananda to the Exalted One: “ Strange it is, Lord ! A marvel it is, Lord ! Thus assured am I, Lord, of this Order of Brethren. There is not any one brother that has a single doubt or perplexity as to the Buddha, the Norm, the Order, or as to the Path, or the Way to the Path.”