learned and almost saintly man; for he knew even secret
parts of the Veda by heart — at least that is what is said.”
“And it is perfectly true, “ I replied, “for I knew
him well, and may even call myself his friend.”
As the merchant looked somewhat appalled when
I said this, I continued: “I was once made prisoner by this
band, and at that time Vājashravas twice saved my life.”
The merchant’s look passed from fright to envious
admiration.
“Then indeed you can truly count yourself happy!
If I had so stood in his favour, I should in a very few years
be the richest man in Kosambī. And now, a prosperous
journey to you, O enviable one!” Saying which, he gave
the signal for his caravan to proceed on its way.
*
*
*
I naturally did not neglect to lay an offering for the
dead on the grave of my famous and esteemed friend; but
my prayer, in contrast to all of the others offered up here,
had for its substance the wish that he would lead me
straight into the arms of the nearest robber band, to which,
with his help, I would then join myself. And the leadership
of which, as I have already said, I did not doubt would
soon pass into my hands.
I was presently to see, however, that my learned
and, by popular pronouncement now sainted friend, had
been mistaken when he averred that a robber constellation
had shone upon me at my birth. For on no part of the
way to Ujjenī did we see even a trace of robbers, and yet
scarcely a week later a caravan we met, after we had gone
through a large forest close to the borders of Avanti, was
fallen upon by bandits at that very spot.
It has been the source of many a thoughtful reflection
to me that the purest chance should to all appearances have
94
led to my remaining in civil life, instead of adopting, as my
heart so ardently desired, the life f the robber. Not that it
is impossible for one of the nightly paths of Mother Kālī to
lead directly to the path of the spiritual seeker; just as, of
the hundred‐and‐one veins
ith quinque‐coloured
fluid, only single one lead
head and it is that one
by whic
quite po
ht
rtheless have become a seeker now — and on the
s,
n one has attained enlightenment, all one’s works
s, as it
ere, in the fervour of illumined knowledge.
al between that time and this,
ad it been given over to the life of the robber rather than
civ
you
‐
ers,
ite so vast as the
tter
pe
r‐
ularly
or
of the
o
filled w
s to the
a
h, at death, the spirit leaves the body, so it is also
ssible that, even if I had become a robber, I mig
neve
spiritual path, with enlightenment as my goal. Beside
whe
disappear, whether good or bad: burnt to ashe
w
Moreover the interv
h
to
il life, might not have turned out as differently as
might expect, brother, insofar as its moral fruits are con
cerned. For, during the time that I dwelt among the robb
I came to know that there are among them many different
types, of which some possess most excellent qualities, and
that, certain external features apart, the difference between
robbers and honest folks is not qu
la
would have us believe. And furthermore, in the ri
period of life on which I now entered, I could not help
noticing that the ‘honest’ folks dabbled in the handiwork
of the thieves and robbers: a number of them as oppo
tunity offered and, as it were, improvising; others reg
and with great as well as highly profitable skill. Thus by
mutually lessening the dividing distance, considerable
contact took place between the two groups.
For this reason I am really unable to say whether
not I have actually gained so very much from the help
protective spirit which held me back from the nightly paths
of the Dark Goddess‐dancer with her swaying necklace of
human skulls.
95
*
*
*
h rose large and glowing into the heavens
of
like
g the smallest inkling of the identity of him
le
After this profound reflection, Kāmanīta became
silent and turned his eyes, lost in thought, on the full
moon, whic
directly over the distant forest — the haunt of the robbers
— and flooded the open hall of the potter with a stream
light, where it seemed to transform the ochre mantle of
the Master into pure gold, like the raiment of some god‐
image.
The Lord Buddha — on whom the seeker involun‐
tarily turned his gaze, attracted by the splendour but
without havin
whom he beheld — expressed his sympathy with a gent
inclination of his head, and said: “Still, friend, I only see
you turning your steps towards the household life rather
than to homelessness, although the path to the latter had
in truth opened itself to you.”
“Even so, brother! My dim eyes failed to see the
path to freedom and I took my way, as you say, to the
household life.”
The young seeker sighed deeply and, in a fresh
clear voice, shortly resumed the record of his experiences.
96