Act 3 — FIRST SCENE

[A Brahman temple with a statue of Durga; before the idol an altar. In the background a landscape with farms and a sheep-fold.]

Enter from the right General Siha (GS.) with a Captain (C) and some soldiers.

GS. Pitch the tents on the slope of yonder hill where that farmhouse stands.

C. It shall be done, my general.

GS. What crowd is gathered there with flags and flowers?

C. It is the farmer's family led by the village priest, and neighbors flock around to swell their number.

GS. The priest handles a big knife that flashes in the sun. I see his hands are stained with gore. They seem to celebrate a feast in honor of a god.

C. The villagers inform me that the occasion of it is sad. One of the farmer's children died of late, and others being sick the father invokes the goddess Kali to preserve the rest of his family. They are arrayed for a procession and having offered a young sheep at the altar of the homestead they have started out. See how the crowd are wending their way hither to the temple.

General Siha looks around and contemplates the scenery, then turns to the Captain.

GS. Now pitch the tents before the sun goes down.

In the meantime, the Buddha enters with two disciples. They sit down under a tree. The Captain bows to them reverently and leaves the stage.

GS. Greetings to you, holy monks.

B. Peace be with thee, and may thy sword ne'er reek with blood.

GS. I draw the sword for my king, for my country and for the restoration of order where enemies or rebels have disturbed it.

B. Thou lookst courageous and thy very words Possess a ring of simple honesty.

GS. I serve a mighty king who means to do the right. He prefers to establish his rule by treaty and spares an enemy who sues for peace.

B. Thou speakst of Bimbisara, King of Magadha?

GS. Indeed I speak of the great Bimbisara, and he is born to sway the world. My sympathy and my allegiance go with him. I am Siha, his general.

B. Thy name is known throughout the Indian lands.

GS. When I chose my profession I prayed to the gods that they would never let it be my lot to fight for any unjust cause.

B. Let this thy prayer be a sacred vow Which thou wilt keep inviolate. Our fate, Or say the gods, create conditions; but thou Thyself must act. Thou art responsible, Thou shapest thine own life, and not the gods.

GS. Thy words please me! What is thy doctrine, venerable monk?

B. I teach the middle way between extremes. Neither mortifications of the body Nor self-indulgence should be practised. We must make up our minds and walk On the eightfold noble path of righteousness.

GS. Who art thou, wondrous monk? Thy doctrine is so plain, and so convincing that I grant thou speakest truth. The people ought to know thee and accept thy creed. Who art thou?

B. Born of the Sakya race, they call me Sakyamuni.

GS. Blessed be this day on which I meet the greatest man of our age. I heard of thee from the Nirgranthas, thine own enemies, the rival sect of thy new order, and they say that thou deniest the soul, thou teachest extinction, thou leadest man to non-existence, and that Nirvana is with thee an empty naught—annihilation.—Is that true?

B. I teach extinction, noble general, Of hatred, greed, and lust, but I insist On doing what is right and just and good; On doing resolutely what we do, On searching for the truth, on setting up Its lamp and following its holy light. Nirvana is attained when passions are Extinct and when the heart is blessed with peace.

GS. Thou art more than a mortal, holy man. Auspicious is this day on which I've met thee. The people call thee Buddha, perhaps rightly so! A feeling of deep reverence comes over me and the truth dawns on me. Truly thou art the teacher of the world. If thy doctrine impressed the people a new era would begin, an era in which mankind would be wiser and nobler, happier and better.

[Barbaric music is heard behind the stage, the drum being prominent.]

Voices behind the stage: Maha Kali! Kali Ma!

GS. Behold how wretched are these people in their ignorance.

B. They must be taught and they will learn the truth.

[The procession enters. A small band of musicians comes with primitive instruments, among them drums. They are followed first by dancers, then by a priest (Pr.) flourishing in his bloody hand a large knife. By his side walks a shepherd carrying a lamb. Behind them the farmer's (F.) family and other people]

GS. What horrible sounds! And the crowd behave like madmen.

Pr. Maha Kali!

Crowd. Kali Ma!

Pr. Goddess of the black countenance! Great Black Mother!

Crowd. Maha Kali! Kali Ma! Maha Kali! Kali Ma! Maha Kali! Kali Ma!

[The priest steps to the altar; the crowd kneels in a large circle. At the priest's signal the farmer approaches the altar and kneels. His behavior betrays superstitious timidity and great awkwardness. The shepherd exhibits the lamb first to the priest and then to the dancers who in fantastic dancing step advance and retreat while the music plays. Finally the lamb is placed on the altar.]

Pr. Have Mercy on us! Slay the demon of disease. Keep away Yama the horrible one, the god of Death.

Crowd. Kali Ma, have mercy on us!

Pr. Thou art Parvati, the wife of Siva. Thou hast conquered the giant Durga, the evil one, and now thyself art called the goddess Durga. Thou art Mahishamardini, the slayer of Mahisha. Thou art Kalaratri, Nightly Darkness, abyss of all mysteries. Thou art Jagaddhatri, mother of the world. Thou art Jagadgauri, renowned throughout the world. Thou art Katyayina, refulgent with a thousand suns. Thou art Singhavahini, seated on a lion thou wonest victory over Raktavija, leader of the giants' army. Great Mother of Life, accept our offering, the blood of this lamb. Crowd. Maha Kali, accept our offering! Kali Ma, accept our offering! Kali Durga, great Goddess, accept our offering!

The priest turns toward the lamb and raises his knife. Buddha steps to the altar and places his hand gently upon the priest's arm.

B. Hold! Pr.Meddler! B.Pause before thou sheddest blood. Pr. How dar'st thou rudely interfere, strange monk, With our most sacred sacrifice? This lamb Is offered to the goddess. Thou disturbest Our holy ritual.

He lifts his knife against Buddha, but Siha draws his sword and knocks the knife out of the priest's hand.

GS.Keep peace, bold priest! Pr. The vengeance of the gods will be upon you. B. If there be gods they must be potent, noble, And great and holy; and if the gods are holy, They do not need the offering of a victim, They do not want the life of this poor trembling lamb.

Pr. The gods are kind; they take the lamb in place of this poor stricken man. We must do penance for his sins, for the sins of his wife, for the sins of his children.

Farmer. I crave forgiveness for the sins for which my dear good child has had to die.

Pr. His sins are great and nothing can wash them away but blood.

B. Herein thou errest, priest. Blood does not cleanse. It washes not away the stain of sin; The slaughter of a victim heaps but guilt On guilt, and does not right a wrong. Rise, Rise, my good friend. Take comfort!

The farmer rises.

Be a man.

The others rise gradually.

F. What shall I do, good master?

B. Right all the wrongs thou didst and sin no more.

Pr. This lamb was given to the goddess. It is mine.

GS. Are you the steward of the goddess' property?

Siha steps close to the priest who retires step by step and finally hurries off the stage.

Come, shepherd, take the frightened lambkin up And bear it to its mother in the fold.

[The shepherd takes up the lamb and stands ready to carry it away. The musicians slink away. The lambbearers and the people walk off in procession, followed by the Buddha with his disciples. General Siha remains alone on the stage. A trumpet call at a short distance and another one close by.]

GS. What does that signal mean?

An officer accompanied by a trumpeter enters. A third trumpet call on the stage. The officer delivers a letter.

Officer. A dispatch from his majesty Bimbisara to his faithful and most noble general, Siha.

GS. Breaks the seal and reads to himself.

"The Sakyas are a stubborn little nation. Their institutions are free; their laws differ from those of the other surrounding states. These people are a source of discontent and revolution, and are a sore in my eye. Therefore, the Sakyas must be crushed, even if they sue for peace. Keep the army near the border and be ready for a sudden attack."

With an expression of grief.

War is unavoidable and I am to be the means by which the Sakyas will be wiped off the earth. It is my duty, for the King commands it. A soldier should not argue, he obeys.

Draws his sword and looks at it.

This sword is consecrated to the service of my king. Never have I drawn it except in honest fight.

Lost in contemplation.

Is Sakyamuni the Buddha?—Is he truly the Buddha? Buddhas are wise; Buddhas are omniscient; Buddhas foresee the future.— Is Sakyamuni truly the Buddha?—I believe he is. And if he is the Buddha, is it right to wage a war against his people?—What shall I do? Oh, ye gods, teach me my duty! Oh, ye gods, may it not be my lot to fight for an unrighteous cause! Cursed be the sword that sheds innocent blood.