z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 09.indd MK SJ+YS 5 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 588
588 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
§ 2. His Dislike of the Acquisitive Instinct
VIII
The Exalted One was once staying in the town of Kammassadamma in the country of Kurus.
The venerable Ananda came to where the Exalted One was, bowed in salutation before him and took a seat on one side.
And so seated he said, “Marvellous is this law of causation which has been taught by the Blessed One. It is so deep. To me it seems as clear as clear can be.”
“Say not so, Ananda, say not so! Deep is this doctrine of events arising from causes. It is through not understanding this doctrine, through not penetrating it, that this generation has become a tangled skein, a matted ball of thread, unable to overpass the way of woe.
“I have said that craving is the cause of grasping. Where there is no craving of any sort or kind whatever by anyone for anything, would there be any arising of grasping ?”
“There would not, Lord.”
“Craving gives rise to pursuit of gain.
“Pursuit of gain gives rise to desire and passion.
“Desire and passion give rise to tenacity.
“Tenacity gives rise to possession.
“Possession gives rise to avarice and more possession.
“Possessions lead to keeping watch and ward over possessions.
“Many a bad and wicked state of things arise from keeping watch and ward over possession, such as blows and wounds, strife, quarrelling, slander and lies.
“This is the chain of causation, Ananda. If there was no craving, would there arise pursuit of gain ? If there was no pursuit of gain, would there arise passion? If there was no passion, would there arise tenacity? If there would be no tenacity, would there