_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.]