z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 02.indd MK SJ+YS 4 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 74
74 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
- “Inasmuch as the earth, pressed down by thy feet, O Sage, resounds repeatedly, and inasmuch as thy splendour shines forth like the sun, thou shalt assuredly reap the desired fruit.
I
“Inasmuch as flocks of birds fluttering in the sky offer thee reverential salutation, O Lotus-eyed One ; and inasmuch as gentle breezes blow in the sky, thou shalt certainly attain thy object.”
As he sat down for meditation a crowd of evil thoughts and evil passions—mythologically called the children of Mara (Kama), which is another name for evil passions, entered his mind.
Gautama was greatly frightened lest they should overpower him and defeat his purpose.
He knew that in this battle with evil passions many Rishis and Brahmins had succumbed.
So he summoned all the courage he had and said to Mara, “Faith is found in me, and heroism and wisdom. How can ye evil passions defeat me ? The streams even of rivers may this wind dry up. Ye would be unable to dry up my resolutions, when I am so intent.” Better to me is death in battle than that I should be defeated in life.
The evil passions entered the mind of Gautama as a crow goes after a stone that looks like a hump of fat, thinking surely, “here I shall find a tender morsel, here perchance is something sweet.”
And finding no sweetness there, the crow departs thence. So like a crow attacking a rock, the evil passions left Gautama in disgust.
§2. Enlightenment
To feed himself during the period of meditation Gautama had collected enough food to last him for forty days.
Having routed the evil thoughts that disturbed his mind Gautama refreshed himself with food and gained strength. He thus prepared himself for meditation with the aim of obtaining enlightenment.
It took Gautama four weeks of meditation