我们生于其中的宗教
本译文由人工智能辅助工具生成，可能存在不准确之处。如需查阅权威文本，请参考英文原文。
AI-translated. May contain errors. For accurate text, refer to the original English.
中文
我们生于其中的宗教
1901年3月31日，在达卡举行的一场露天集会上，辨喜在广大听众面前，就上述主题以英语演讲了约两小时。以下是弟子从孟加拉文报告翻译而来的演讲内容：
在遥远的过去，我们的国家在精神理念上取得了巨大的进步。今日，让我们在内心的眼前展现那古老的历史。然而，沉浸于遥远的昔日荣耀之中，有一个重大的危险，那就是我们会停止为新事物而努力，满足于在那过去的祖先光荣中虚度岁月并引以为傲。我们应当防范这一点。在古代，无疑有许多仙人（Rishis）和大仙人（Maharshis）曾与真理面对面。但若要让这追念古代伟大的行为真正有益，我们自己也必须成为如他们一样的仙人。啊，不仅如此，我坚定地相信，我们将成为比历史上任何仙人都更伟大的仙人。在过去，我们的成就是卓著的——我以此自豪，思及此便感到骄傲。我甚至在目睹当下的堕落时也不绝望，在脑海中描绘未来将要到来的景象时，我满怀希望。为何？因为我知道，种子经历彻底的蜕变，啊，种子作为种子，似乎在长成大树之前便被消灭了。同样地，在我们当前的堕落之中，只是暂时沉睡着我们宗教未来伟大的潜力，随时准备再次涌现，也许比以往任何时候都更加强大与光辉。
现在让我们思考：我们生于其中的宗教，在哪些共同基础上是一致的。乍一看，我们各派之间无疑存在种种差异。有些是不二论者（Advaitists），有些是有限不二论者（Vishishtadvaitists），还有些是二元论者（Dvaitists）。有些信奉上帝的化身，有些信奉偶像崇拜，而另一些则是无形信仰的坚守者。在习俗方面，各种差异也是众所周知的。贾特族（Jats）即便与穆斯林或基督徒通婚也不被逐出种姓。他们可以毫无障碍地进入任何印度教寺庙。在旁遮普许多村庄中，不吃猪肉者几乎不会被视为印度教徒。在尼泊尔，婆罗门可以在四个种姓（Varnas）中通婚；而在孟加拉，婆罗门甚至无法在自己种姓的分支内部通婚。诸如此类，不一而足。然而，在所有这些差异中，我们注意到所有印度教徒有一个共同点，那就是：没有任何印度教徒食用牛肉。同样地，在我们宗教的各种形式与派别之下，也存在着一个伟大的共同基础。
首先，在讨论经典时，有一个事实清晰地显现——只有那些以一部或多部自有经典为基础的宗教，才能突飞猛进地发展，并尽管遭受各种迫害与压制，仍存续至今日。希腊宗教，尽管有其美丽，却因缺乏支撑它的经典而消亡；而犹太人的宗教，以《旧约》的权威为根基，至今仍屹立不倒。印度教也是如此，其经典吠陀（Vedas）是世界上最古老的。吠陀分为业分（Karma Kanda）和智慧分（Jnana Kanda）。无论是好是坏，业分（Karma Kanda）在印度已落入废弃，尽管在德干地区仍有一些婆罗门偶尔以宰羊的方式进行火祭；我们也在我们的婚礼和祭祖（Shraddha）仪式等使用的真言（Mantras）中，到处发现吠陀行仪分（Kriya Kanda）的痕迹。但它恢复昔日地位的可能性微乎其微。鸠摩利罗·跋陀曾一度尝试，但并未成功。
吠陀的智慧分包含奥义书（Upanishads），以吠檀多（Vedanta）之名为世人所知，被称为天启（Shrutis）之顶峰。无论何处，你发现诸位论师（Acharyas）引用天启的段落，那必是出自奥义书。吠檀多如今便是印度教徒的宗教。若印度境内任何派别希望将其理念在民众中稳固确立，必须以吠檀多的权威为基础。无论是二元论者还是不二论者，皆须如此。甚至毗湿奴信仰者也不得不援引《哥帕拉达帕尼奥义书》（Gopalatapini Upanishad），以证明其自身理论的正确性。若某个新派别在天启中找不到任何支持其理念的内容，它甚至会不惜伪造一部新的奥义书，冒充古代原典流传于世。此类事件在历史上曾有多次。
现在说到吠陀，印度教徒相信，吠陀并非人类在某个遥远时代所写成的书籍。他们认为吠陀是无尽神圣智慧的积累，有时显现，有时隐而不显。注疏者萨亚纳阿查里亚在其著作中某处说道："彼以吠陀之知识创造了整个宇宙。"从未有人见过吠陀的著作者，要想象出一位著作者也是不可能的。仙人（Rishis）不过是真言（Mantras）或永恒法则的发现者；他们不过是与吠陀——那无始以来便存在的无穷知识宝藏——面对面接触而已。
谁是这些仙人？筏磋衍那说："凡通过正当方式亲证法（Dharma）之实相者，即便是蔑戾车（Mlechha）出身，亦可成为仙人。"正是如此，在古代，出身私生的婆悉吒（Vasishtha）、渔女之子毗耶娑（Vyasa）、出身不明的仆婢之子那罗陀（Narada），以及许多类似的人，皆获得了仙人之位。从根本上说，这就是说，对于已证得真理者，不应做任何区分。若上述诸人皆成为仙人，那么，今日的婆罗门贵族啊，你们能成为何等更伟大的仙人！向那仙人之位奋进，不达目标誓不停歇，整个世界将自然而然地匍匐于你们脚下！成为仙人——这是力量的秘密。
此吠陀是我们唯一的权威，人人皆有权利接触它。
"此吉祥之语我向众人宣说——向婆罗门、王族，向首陀罗与平民，向自由者与游吟者。"（《白夜柔吠陀》二十六：二）你能从我们的这部吠陀中找到任何人没有权利接触它的依据吗？《往世书》（Puranas）固然说某个种姓有权使用吠陀的某个分支，或某个种姓无权研读吠陀，或吠陀的这一部分是为萨蒂亚纪（Satya Yuga）所用，那一部分是为迦利纪（Kali Yuga）所用。但请注意，吠陀本身并未如此说；只是你们的往世书如此说。而仆人难道可以向主人发号施令吗？《法论》（Smritis）、《往世书》、《密续》（Tantras）——所有这些，只在与吠陀相符合时才被接受；凡与之相矛盾之处，则应被视为不可信而予以舍弃。然而时至今日，我们将《往世书》置于比吠陀更高的位置！吠陀的研习在孟加拉几乎已经绝迹。我多么希望那一天早日来临——在每一个家庭中，吠陀将与夏拉格拉玛（Shalagrama，家庭神明）一同受到礼拜，年轻人、老人与妇女将共同开启对吠陀的崇拜！
我对西方学者关于吠陀所提出的理论没有信心。今天他们确定吠陀的古老年代在某个时期，明天又将其推翻，再向前推移一千年，如此反复。然而，关于《往世书》，我已告诉你们，它们只在与吠陀相符合时才具有权威性，否则便不然。在《往世书》中，我们发现许多与吠陀不符之处。例如，《往世书》中写道，某人活了一万年，另一人活了两万年，但吠陀中我们却发现："人寿确实以百年为限。"在此情况下，我们应接受哪一个？当然是吠陀。尽管如此，我并不贬低《往世书》。它们包含许多有关瑜伽（Yoga）、虔信（Bhakti）、智慧（Jnana）与业（Karma）的美丽而启迪性的教诲与智慧之言；那些，当然是我们应当接受的。然后还有密续（Tantras）。"密续"（Tantra）一词的真实含义是"典籍"（Shastra），如《迦毗罗密续》（Kapila Tantra）。但"密续"一词通常被用于有限的意义上。在奉行佛教的国王的统治下，阿希姆萨（Ahimsa，不杀生）的教义被广泛宣扬，吠陀祭祀（Yaga-Yajna）的举行成为过去，因为惧怕王法，无人敢在祭祀中宰杀任何动物。但此后，在佛教徒——那些从印度教改信者——中间，这些祭祀中最好的部分被秘密提取并加以实践。由此衍生出密续。除去密续中一些令人厌恶的内容，如左道（Vamachara）等，密续并不像人们倾向于认为的那样坏。其中有许多崇高的吠檀多思想。事实上，吠陀的婆罗门部分经过少量修改后，被纳入了密续的主体。我们当今所有形式的礼拜与仪式，包括业分（Karma Kanda），皆依密续举行。
现在让我们稍微讨论一下我们宗教的原则。尽管我们各种派别之间存在差异与争论，但在其中也有若干共同的基础。首先，几乎所有派别都承认三种存在——三个实体——自在天（Ishvara）、真我（Atman）与宇宙（Jagat）。自在天是那永恒地创造、维护与消灭整个宇宙者。除数论派（Sankhyas）外，其他所有人都相信这一点。然后是真我的教义与灵魂的转世；它主张无数的个体灵魂，依据各自的业力（Karma），一次又一次地取得身体，在生死之轮中循环往复；这便是轮回论（Samsaravada），或通常所称的转世教义。然后还有无始无终的宇宙（Jagat）。虽然有些人将这三者视为同一存在的不同相，有些人视之为三个截然不同的实体，还有一些人持有其他各种不同的见解，但他们在相信这三者方面是一致的。
在此，我希望请你们记住：印度教徒自古以来便知晓真我（Atman）与意根（Manas，心）有别。但西方人从未能超越意根。西方人知道宇宙充满快乐，因而，对他们来说，这是一个可以尽情享受的地方；而东方人则生来便有此信念：这个轮回，这个不断变化的存在，充满苦难，因而它什么都不是，不过是虚幻，不值得以灵魂换取其短暂的快乐与财物。正是因为这个原因，西方人在有组织的行动上特别擅长，而东方人则始终在探寻内在世界奥秘上大胆无畏。
然而，让我们转向印度教的另外一两个面向。有关上帝化身（Avatara，阿瓦塔尔）的教义。在吠陀中，我们仅发现鱼化身（Matsya Avatara）的记载。是否所有人都相信这一教义，并不是重点；然而，这个化身论（Avataravada）的真实含义是对人的崇拜——在人身上见到上帝，才是真正的神圣愿景。印度教徒并不通过自然来接近自然的上帝——他通过人来接近人的上帝。
然后是偶像崇拜。除了按我们典籍所规定、在每一吉祥业行（Karma）中必须礼拜的五位神灵（Devatas）之外，所有其他神灵不过是由他们所持有的某些状态之名称。但再者，这五位神灵也不过是唯一上帝的不同名称。然而，这种外在的偶像礼拜，在我们所有典籍中，被描述为一切低下礼拜形式中最低下的一种。但这并不意味着这样做是错误的。尽管当今流行的偶像礼拜实践中存在许多弊病，我并不谴责它。啊，若非我得到了那位正统的偶像崇拜婆罗门圣足之尘的庇佑，我将在何处？
那些宣扬反对偶像礼拜、或将其斥为偶像崇拜的改革者——我对他们说："兄弟们，若你们有能力舍弃一切外在辅助，直接礼拜无形之上帝，请这样去做，但为何要谴责那些做不到的人呢？一座美丽的宏伟建筑，一件荣耀的远古遗迹，因疏于照料或废弃不用，已然陷入颓败之状；其内部也许满是污垢与尘埃，也许有些部分已坍塌倒地。你们打算怎么办？你们是要着手清洁修缮，从而修复古物；还是要将整座建筑夷为平地，以一个根基尚待确立的鄙俗现代方案另行建造？我们必须改革它，改革的真正含义是通过必要的清洁与修缮来使其就绪或完善，而非将整座建筑拆毁。改革的职责至此结束。当修复旧物的工作完成，它还能有什么进一步的必要性？如果你能做到，就去做；如果不能，袖手旁观！"然而，我们国家的一批改革者，恰恰相反，希望自行建立一个独立的派别。他们确实做了一些有益的工作；愿上帝的祝福降临在他们头上！但为何你们，印度教徒，要将自己从伟大的公共群体中分离出去？为何你们要以"印度教徒"的名号为耻？那"印度教徒"之名，正是你们最伟大、最光荣的财富。啊，不朽者的子女，我的同胞们，我们这艘民族之船，多少世纪以来一直在航行，将文明带向四方，用其无价的珍宝丰盈整个世界。在数十个光辉的世纪里，我们这艘民族之船一直在生命的大洋上摆渡，将数以百万的灵魂送到彼岸，超越一切苦难。然而今日，无论因你们自身的过失还是其他任何原因，它也许已裂缝渗漏，受到损坏。那么，你们这些已乘于其上的人，打算怎么办？你们会四处咒骂它，在彼此之间互相争吵吗！你们不会团结一致，竭尽全力来堵住这些漏洞吗？让我们都甘愿以心血来做到这一点；若我们失败，就让我们一同沉没而死，口中带着祝福而非诅咒。
对婆罗门，我说："你们对出身与先辈的骄傲是虚妄的。抛弃它。依你们典籍所载，你们的婆罗门身份，如今已名存实亡，因为你们长久以来生活在蔑戾车（Mlechha）国王的统治之下。若你们当真相信自己先辈的言语，那就在此刻去以缓慢的焚火赎罪，如同昔日的鸠摩利罗·跋陀，他为了驱逐佛教徒，首先成为佛教徒的弟子，继而在辩论中击败他们，因而导致许多人的死亡，随后便步入稻壳（Tusha）之火以赎其罪。若你们没有这样的勇气，那就承认你们的软弱，伸出援手，向所有人开启知识之门，将那些长久以来被剥夺了正当权利与特权的受压迫民众，重新赋予其应得的地位。"
English
THE RELIGION WE ARE BORN IN
At an open-air meeting convened at Dacca, on the 31st March, 1901, the Swamiji spoke in English for two hours on the above subject before a vast audience. The following is a translation of the lecture from a Bengali report of a disciple:
In the remote past, our country made gigantic advances in spiritual ideas. Let us, today, bring before our mind's eye that ancient history. But the one great danger in meditating over long-past greatness is that we cease to exert ourselves for new things, and content ourselves with vegetating upon that by-gone ancestral glory and priding ourselves upon it. We should guard against that. In ancient times there were, no doubt, many Rishis and Maharshis who came face to face with Truth. But if this recalling of our ancient greatness is to be of real benefit, we too must become Rishis like them. Ay, not only that, but it is my firm conviction that we shall be even greater Rishis than any that our history presents to us. In the past, signal were our attainments — I glory in them, and I feel proud in thinking of them. I am not even in despair at seeing the present degradation, and I am full of hope in picturing to my mind what is to come in the future. Why? Because I know the seed undergoes a complete transformation, ay, the seed as seed is seemingly destroyed before it develops into a tree. In the same way, in the midst of our present degradation lies, only dormant for a time, the potentiality of the future greatness of our religion, ready to spring up again, perhaps more mighty and glorious than ever before.
Now let us consider what are the common grounds of agreement in the religion we are born in. At first sight we undeniably find various differences among our sects. Some are Advaitists, some are Vishishtâdvaitists, and others are Dvaitists. Some believe in Incarnations of God, some in image-worship, while others are upholders of the doctrine of the Formless. Then as to customs also, various differences are known to exist. The Jâts are not outcasted even if they marry among the Mohammedans and Christians. They can enter into any Hindu temple without hindrance. In many villages in the Punjab, one who does not eat swine will hardly be considered a Hindu. In Nepal, a Brâhmin can marry in the four Varnas; while in Bengal, a Brahmin cannot marry even among the subdivisions of his own caste. So on and so forth. But in the midst of all these differences we note one point of unity among all Hindus, and it is this, that no Hindu eats beef. In the same way, there is a great common ground of unity underlying the various forms and sects of our religion.
First, in discussing the scriptures, one fact stands out prominently — that only those religions which had one or many scriptures of their own as their basis advanced by leaps and bounds and survive to the present day notwithstanding all the persecution and repression hurled against them. The Greek religion, with all its beauty, died out in the absence of any scripture to support it; but the religion of the Jews stands undiminished in its power, being based upon the authority of the Old Testament. The same is the case with the Hindu religion, with its scripture, the Vedas, the oldest in the world. The Vedas are divided into the Karma Kânda and the Jnâna Kânda. Whether for good or for evil, the Karma Kanda has fallen into disuse in India, though there are some Brahmins in the Deccan who still perform Yajnas now and then with the sacrifice of goats; and also we find here and there, traces of the Vedic Kriyâ Kânda in the Mantras used in connection with our marriage and Shrâddha ceremonies etc. But there is no chance of its being rehabilitated on its original footing. Kumârila Bhatta once tried to do so, but he was not successful in his attempt.
The Jnana Kanda of the Vedas comprises the Upanishads and is known by the name of Vedanta, the pinnacle of the Shrutis, as it is called. Wherever you find the Âchâryas quoting a passage from the Shrutis, it is invariably from the Upanishads. The Vedanta is now the religion of the Hindus. If any sect in India wants to have its ideas established with a firm hold on the people it must base them on the authority of the Vedanta. They all have to do it, whether they are Dvaitists or Advaitists. Even the Vaishnavas have to go to Gopâlatâpini Upanishad to prove the truth of their own theories. If a new sect does not find anything in the Shrutis in confirmation of its ideas, it will go even to the length of manufacturing a new Upanishad, and making it pass current as one of the old original productions. There have been many such in the past.
Now as to the Vedas, the Hindus believe that they are not mere books composed by men in some remote age. They hold them to be an accumulated mass of endless divine wisdom, which is sometimes manifested and at other times remains unmanifested. Commentator Sâyanâchârya says somewhere in his works यो वेदेभ्योऽखिलं जगत् निर्ममे — "Who created the whole universe out of the knowledge of the Vedas". No one has ever seen the composer of the Vedas, and it is impossible to imagine one. The Rishis were only the discoverers of the Mantras or Eternal Laws; they merely came face to face with the Vedas, the infinite mine of knowledge, which has been there from time without beginning.
Who are these Rishis? Vâtsyâyana says, "He who has attained through proper means the direct realisation of Dharma, he alone can be a Rishi even if he is a Mlechchha by birth." Thus it is that in ancient times, Vasishtha, born of an illegitimate union, Vyâsa, the son of a fisherwoman, Narada, the son of a maidservant with uncertain parentage, and many others of like nature attained to Rishihood. Truly speaking, it comes to this then, that no distinction should be made with one who has realised the Truth. If the persons just named all became Rishis, then, O ye Kulin Brahmins of the present day, how much greater Rishis you can become! Strive after that Rishihood, stop not till you have attained the goal, and the whole world will of itself bow at your feet! Be a Rishi — that is the secret of power.
This Veda is our only authority, and everyone has the right to it.
यथेमां वाचं कल्याणीमावदानि जनेभ्यः।
ब्रह्मराजन्याभ्यां शूद्राय चार्याय च स्वाय चारणाय॥
यथेमां वाचं कल्याणीमावदानि जनेभ्यः।
ब्रह्मराजन्याभ्यां शूद्राय चार्याय च स्वाय चारणाय॥
— Thus says the Shukla Yajur Veda (XXVI. 2). Can you show any authority from this Veda of ours that everyone has not the right to it? The Purânas, no doubt, say that a certain caste has the right to such and such a recension of the Vedas, or a certain caste has no right to study them, or that this portion of the Vedas is for the Satya Yuga and that portion is for the Kali Yuga. But, mark you, the Veda does not say so; it is only your Puranas that do so. But can the servant dictate to the master? The Smritis, Puranas, Tantras — all these are acceptable only so far as they agree with the Vedas; and wherever they are contradictory, they are to be rejected as unreliable. But nowadays we have put the Puranas on even a higher pedestal than the Vedas! The study of the Vedas has almost disappeared from Bengal. How I wish that day will soon come when in every home the Veda will be worshipped together with Shâlagrâma, the household Deity, when the young, the old, and the women will inaugurate the worship of the Veda!
I have no faith in the theories advanced by Western savants with regard to the Vedas. They are today fixing the antiquity of the Vedas at a certain period, and again tomorrow upsetting it and bringing it one thousand years forward, and so on. However, about the Puranas, I have told you that they are authoritative only in so far as they agree with the Vedas, otherwise not. In the Puranas we find many things which do not agree with the Vedas. As for instance, it is written in the Puranas that some one lived ten thousand years, another twenty thousand years, but in the Vedas we find: शतायुर्वै पुरुषः — "Man lives indeed a hundred years." Which are we to accept in this case? Certainly the Vedas. Notwithstanding statements like these, I do not depreciate the Puranas. They contain many beautiful and illuminating teachings and words of wisdom on Yoga, Bhakti, Jnâna, and Karma; those, of course, we should accept. Then there are the Tantras. The real meaning of the word Tantra is Shâstra, as for example, Kâpila Tantra. But the word Tantra is generally used in a limited sense. Under the sway of kings who took up Buddhism and preached broadcast the doctrine of Ahimsâ, the performances of the Vedic Yâga-Yajnas became a thing of the past, and no one could kill any animal in sacrifice for fear of the king. But subsequently amongst the Buddhists themselves — who were converts from Hinduism — the best parts of these Yaga-Yajnas were taken up, and practiced in secret. From these sprang up the Tantras. Barring some of the abominable things in the Tantras, such as the Vâmâchâra etc., the Tantras are not so bad as people are inclined to think. There are many high and sublime Vedantic thoughts in them. In fact, the Brâhmana portions of the Vedas were modified a little and incorporated into the body of the Tantras. All the forms of our worship and the ceremonials of the present day, comprising the Karma Kanda, are observed in accordance with the Tantras.
Now let us discuss the principles of our religion a little. Notwithstanding the differences and controversies existing among our various sects, there are in them, too, several grounds of unity. First, almost all of them admit the existence of three things — three entities — Ishvara, Atman, and the Jagat. Ishvara is He who is eternally creating, preserving and destroying the whole universe. Excepting the Sânkhyas, all the others believe in this. Then the doctrine of the Atman and the reincarnation of the soul; it maintains that innumerable individual souls, having taken body after body again and again, go round and round in the wheel of birth and death according to their respective Karmas; this is Samsâravâda, or as it is commonly called the doctrine of rebirth. Then there is the Jagat or universe without beginning and without end. Though some hold these three as different phases of one only, and some others as three distinctly different entities, and others again in various other ways, yet they are all unanimous in believing in these three.
Here I should ask you to remember that Hindus, from time immemorial, knew the Atman as separate from Manas, mind. But the Occidentals could never soar beyond the mind. The West knows the universe to be full of happiness, and as such, it is to them a place where they can enjoy the most; but the East is born with the conviction that this Samsara, this ever-changing existence, is full of misery, and as such, it is nothing, nothing but unreal, not worth bartering the soul for its ephemeral joys and possessions. For this very reason, the West is ever especially adroit in organised action, and so also the East is ever bold in search of the mysteries of the internal world.
Let us, however, turn now to one or two other aspects of Hinduism. There is the doctrine of the Incarnations of God. In the Vedas we find mention of Matsya Avatâra, the Fish Incarnation only. Whether all believe in this doctrine or not is not the point; the real meaning, however, of this Avatâravâda is the worship of Man — to see God in man is the real God-vision. The Hindu does not go through nature to nature's God — he goes to the God of man through Man.
Then there is image-worship. Except the five Devatâs who are to be worshipped in every auspicious Karma as enjoined in our Shastras, all the other Devatas are merely the names of certain states held by them. But again, these five Devatas are nothing but the different names of the one God Only. This external worship of images has, however, been described in all our Shastras as the lowest of all the low forms of worship. But that does not mean that it is a wrong thing to do. Despite the many iniquities that have found entrance into the practices of image-worship as it is in vogue now, I do not condemn it. Ay, where would I have been if I had not been blessed with the dust of the holy feet of that orthodox, image-worshipping Brahmin!
Those reformers who preach against image-worship, or what they denounce as idolatry — to them I say "Brothers, if you are fit to worship God-without-form discarding all external help, do so, but why do you condemn others who cannot do the same? A beautiful, large edifice, the glorious relic of a hoary antiquity has, out of neglect or disuse, fallen into a dilapidated condition; accumulations of dirt and dust may be lying everywhere within it, maybe, some portions are tumbling down to the ground. What will you do to it? Will you take in hand the necessary cleansing and repairs and thus restore the old, or will you pull the whole edifice down to the ground and seek to build another in its place, after a sordid modern plan whose permanence has yet to be established? We have to reform it, which truly means to make ready or perfect by necessary cleansing and repairs, not by demolishing the whole thing. There the function of reform ends. When the work of renovating the old is finished, what further necessity does it serve? Do that if you can, if not, hands off!" The band of reformers in our country want, on the contrary, to build up a separate sect of their own. They have, however, done good work; may the blessings of God be showered on their heads! But why should you, Hindus, want to separate yourselves from the great common fold? Why should you feel ashamed to take the name of Hindu, which is your greatest and most glorious possession? This national ship of ours, ye children of the Immortals, my countrymen, has been plying for ages, carrying civilisation and enriching the whole world with its inestimable treasures. For scores of shining centuries this national ship of ours has been ferrying across the ocean of life, and has taken millions of souls to the other shore, beyond all misery. But today it may have sprung a leak and got damaged, through your own fault or whatever cause it matters not. What would you, who have placed yourselves in it, do now? Would you go about cursing it and quarrelling among yourselves! Would you not all unite together and put your best efforts to stop the holes? Let us all gladly give our hearts' blood to do this; and if we fail in the attempt, let us all sink and die together, with blessings and not curses on our lips.
And to the Brahmins I say, "Vain is your pride of birth and ancestry. Shake it off. Brahminhood, according to your Shastras, you have no more now, because you have for so long lived under Mlechchha kings. If you at all believe in the words of your own ancestors, then go this very moment and make expiation by entering into the slow fire kindled by Tusha (husks), like that old Kumarila Bhatta, who with the purpose of ousting the Buddhists first became a disciple of the Buddhists and then defeating them in argument became the cause of death to many, and subsequently entered the Tushânala to expiate his sins. If you are not bold enough to do that, then admit your weakness and stretch forth a helping hand, and open the gates of knowledge to one and all, and give the downtrodden masses once more their just and legitimate rights and privileges."
文本来自Wikisource公共领域。原版由阿德瓦伊塔修道院出版。