The Weaver’s Daughter
Four Questions – Four Answers
And on her saluting the Master, who was seated silent in the midst of such an assembly, as she stood there, he said to her, “My girl, whence have you come?” “I do not know, reverend sir.” “Whither will you go?” “I do not know, reverend sir.” “Do you not know?” “I know, reverend sir.” “Do you know?” “I do not know, reverend sir.” So the Master asked her the four questions, and the multitude murmured, “See, for shame, this weaver’s daughter talks with the All-enlightened One about whatever she wants; surely when she was asked whence she had come, she should have said from the weaver’s house, and when asked where she was going, she should have said to the weaver’s workshop.” The Master, silencing the multitude, asked, “My girl, when you were asked whence you came, why did you say you did not know?” She replied, “Reverend sir, you know that I have come from the weaver’s house, and in asking whence I have come you asked whence I have come in being re-born here, and I do not know whence I have come in being re-born here.” The Master said to her, “Well done, well done, girl, you have explained the question that I asked you.” And expressing approval he asked further, “When you were asked where you will go, why did you say you did not know?” “Reverend sir, you know that I shall take the shuttle-basket and go to the weaver’s workshop. But you asked me where I shall be re-born when I go hence, and I do not know where I shall be re-born, when I go hence after death.” Then the Master said, “You have explained this question also,” and a second time he expressed approval, and asked further, “And why did you say that you knew, when you were asked if you do not know?” “Reverend sir, I know that I shall die, and hence I spoke thus.” The Master said, “You have explained this question also,” and, expressing approval, asked further, “Why, when I said ‘Do you know,’ did you say you did not know?” “I know indeed that I shall die, reverend sir, but that I shall die at such and such a time, such as at night or by day, I do not know, and therefore I spoke thus.” Then the Master said, “You have explained this question also.”