Buddhism
Buddhism is a nontheistic religion that encompasses a variety of
traditions, beliefs and practices largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha
Gautama, who is commonly known as the Buddha, meaning "the
awakened one". According to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha lived and
taught in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent sometime between the 6th and 4th
centuries BCE. He is recognized by Buddhists as an awakened or enlightened teacher who shared his
insights to help sentient beings end their suffering through the elimination of ignorance and craving by way of understanding and the seeing of dependent origination, with the ultimate goal
of attainment of the sublime state of nirvana.
Two major branches of Buddhism are generally recognized: Theravada ("The School of the Elders")
and Mahayana ("The Great Vehicle").
Theravada has a widespread following in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar
etc.). Mahayana is found throughout East Asia (China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam,
Singapore, Taiwan etc.) and includes the traditions of Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren
Buddhism, Tibetan
Buddhism, Shingon,
and Tiantai (Tendai). In
some classifications, Vajrayana—practiced
mainly in Tibet and Mongolia,
and adjacent parts of China and Russia—is recognized as a third branch, while
others classify it as a part of Mahayana.
HINAYANA
Hinayana
is a Sanskrit term literally meaning: the Inferior Vehicle, Deficient Vehicle, the Abandoned Vehicle, or the
Defective Vehicle, applied to the Sravakayana, the Buddhist path followed
by a sravaka who wishes to become an arhat. The word Hinayana is formed of hina means little,poor,inferior,and yana is vehicle.vehicle means a way
of going to enlightenment. The term
appeared around the 1st or 2nd century. Hinayana is often contrasted with
Mahayana, which means the "Great Vehicle." There are a variety of
interpretations as to who or what the term "Hinayana" refers to. Both
adopt one and the same Vinaya, and they have in common the prohibitions of the
five offenses, and also the practice of the Four Noble Truths. Those who
venerate the bodhisattvas and read the Mahayana sutras are called the
Mahayanists, while those who do not perform these are called the Hinayanists.
The terms Hinayana (Lesser Vehicle or Modest Vehicle) originated in the
Prajnaparamita Sutras (The Sutras on Far-Reaching Discriminating Awareness, The
Perfection of Wisdom Sutras). They are a rather derogatory pair of words,
aggrandizing Mahayana and putting down Hinayana.
Hinayana encompasses
eighteen schools. The most important for our purposes are Sarvastivada and
Theravada. Theravada is the one extant today in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.
Sarvastivada was widespread in Northern India when the Tibetans started to
travel there and Buddhism began to be transplanted to Tibet.There were two main
divisions of Sarvastivada based on philosophical differences: Vaibhashika and
Sautrantika. Hinayana tenet systems studied at the Indian monastic universities
such as Nalanda, and later by the Tibetan Mahayanists, are from these two
schools. The lineage of monastic vows followed in Tibet is from another
Sarvastivada subdivision, Mulasarvastivada
MAHAYANA
Mahayana is a Sanskrit word Mahayana,
literally means the “Great Vehicle”.
Mahayana is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for
classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice. Mahayana Buddhism
originated in India, and some scholars believe that it was initially associated
with one of the oldest historical branches of Buddhism. The Mahayana tradition
is the largest major tradition of Buddhism existing today. According to the
teachings of Mahayana traditions, “Mahayana” also refers to the path of seeking
complete enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings, also called “Bodhisattvayana”, or the "Bodhisattva Vehicle”. In the course of
its history, Mahayana Buddhism spread from India to various other Asian
countries.[1]
Major traditions of Mahayana
Buddhism today include Zen, Chinese Chán, Pure Land, Tiantai, and Nichiren. It
also includes the Vajrayana Buddhist traditions of Shingon, Tendai and Tibetan
Buddhism, which add esoteric teachings to the Mahayana tradition. The term
Mahayana "Great Vehicle" was originally an honorary synonym for
Bodhisattvayana ie Bodhisattva Vehicle .The vehicle of a bodhisattva seeking
Buddha hood for the benefit of all sentient beings.The term Mahayana was therefore
formed independently at an early date as a synonym for the path and the
teachings of the bodhisattvas. Since it was simply an honorary term for
Bodhisattvayana, the creation of the term Mahayana and its application to
Bodhisattvayana did not represent a significant turning point in the
development of a Mahayana tradition.The terms Mahayana (Greater Vehicle or Vast
Vehicle) originated in the Prajnaparamita Sutras (The Sutras on Far-Reaching
Discriminating Awareness, The Perfection of Wisdom Sutras). They are a rather
derogatory pair of words, aggrandizing Mahayana and putting down Hinayana.
COMPARISON OF
HINAYANA AND MAHAYANA
Both Hinayana and Mahayana agree
that a seeing pathway mind rids both arya shravakas and arya bodhisattvas of
doctrinally based disturbing emotions, while an accustoming pathway mind rids
them of automatically arising disturbing emotions. The former are based on
learning the set of assertions of one of the non-Buddhist Indian schools, while
the latter arise automatically in everyone, including animals. The list of
disturbing emotions that shravaka and bodhisattva aryas rid them of is part of
a larger list of mental factors. Each of the Hinayana schools has its own list
of mental factors, while Mahayana asserts yet another list. Many of the mental
factors are defined differently in each list.
Both Hinayana and Mahayana agree that
the course of progressing through the five pathway minds entails practicing the
thirty-seven factors leading to a purified state. A “purified state” or “
bodhi” refers to either arhataship or Buddhahood. These thirty-seven factors
include the four close placements of mindfulness, the eight branches of an arya
pathway mind (the eightfold noble path), and so on. They are very important. In
anuttarayoga tantra, the thrity-seven are represented by Yamantaka’s
thirty-four arms plus his body, speech and mind, as well as by the dakinis in
the body mandala of Vajrayogini. The thirty-seven are a standard set of
practices. The specifics of each practice, however, are often different in
Hinayana and Mahayana.[2]
Both Hinayana and Mahayana assert that
the scheme of stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner and arhat refers to
stages of an arya shravaka’s path, but not to the path of an arya bodhisattva.
Hinayana does not provide an extensive explanation of the bodhisattva pathway
minds. Mahayana explains that an arya bodhisattva’s path to enlightenment
entails progressing through the development of ten levels of bhumi-mind. These
levels of mind do not pertain to the path of shravakas. Both Hinayana and
Mahayana agree that traversing the bodhisattva path to enlightenment takes more
time than traversing the shravaka one to arhatship.
Both Hinayana and Mahayana teach the
practice of the four immeasurable attitudes of love, compassion, joy, and
equanimity. Both are defininig love
as the wish for others to have happiness and the causes of happiness, and
compassion as the wish for them to be free of suffering and the causes of
suffering. Hinayana does not develop
these immeasurable attitudes through a line of reasoning such as that all beings have been our mother
and so on. Rather, it starts by directing love at those whom we already love
and then extending it, in stages, toward a widening range of others.
The definitions of immeasurable joy and equanimity are different in
Hinayana and Mahayana. In Hinayana, immeasurable joy refers to rejoicing in the
happiness of others, without any jealousy, and wishing it to increase. In
Mahayana, immeasurable joy is the wish that others have the joy of unending
enlightenment.
Equanimity is the state of
mind that is free from attachment, repulsion, and indifference. In Theravada,
it is equanimity toward the outcome of our love, compassion, and rejoicing. The
outcome of our attempts to help others really depends on their karma and their
efforts; although, as with Mahayana, Theravada accepts the possibility of a
transfer of positive force, “merit,” to others.In Mahayana, immeasurable equanimity means wishing all others to
be free of attachment, repulsion and indifference, because these disturbing
emotions and attitudes bring them suffering.
The bodhichitta aim is the state of mind
to attain enlightenment oneself, in order to fulfill the goal of that
exceptional resolve. Since Hinayana contains little elaboration on the
bodhisattva path, it does not explain these two attitudes. Mahayana outlines in
great detail the meditation practices for developing them.
Hinayana emphasizes development of the
four immeasurable attitudes as a way to overcome their opposing disturbing
emotions in one self. Love is the
opponent of ill-will; it temporarily frees oneself from thoughts of enmity,
aggression or annoyance, and anxiety or fear. Compassion is the opponent of
having a cruel or harmful attitude. Joy or rejoicing is the opponent for
jealousy, and equanimity is the opponent of expectation, worry or
disappointment, and indifference. In Mahayana, the emphasis is on what others
experience, rather than on what oneself experiences toward them.
Hinayana
does not assert the lack of an impossible “soul” of phenomena, or voidness, it
is not the case that Hinayana does not discuss the nature of all phenomena in
general. Hinayana does this with its presentation of the two truths concerning
all phenomena. The precursor to gaining an understanding of the voidness of
phenomena is an understanding the two truths. In Mahayana, the two truths are
two facts concerning the same phenomenon. In Hinayana, the two truths are two
sets of phenomena. There are superficial or conventional true phenomena and
deepest or ultimate true phenomena.[3]
Bodhisatva
Ideal
The figure of the
Bodhisattva — one who seeks Enlightenment for the sake of all beings — is
central to Mahayana Buddhism. The
Bodhisattva Ideal lays special emphasis on compassion as essential to the
Buddhist path. Drawing on all aspects of the Buddhist tradition,
Sangharakshita’s main emphasis is on the earlier and most basic teachings of
the Buddha (which precede the Mahayana). However, he suggests that the
Bodhisattva ideal is a central aspect of Buddhism as a whole, and that its
expression by the Mahayana is not a later development but the reassertion of
something that was implicit in the Buddha’s teaching from beginning.
Transcendental Wisdom necessarily includes Compassion.
Mahāyāna Buddhism
is based principally upon the path of a bodhisattva. According to Jan Nattier,
the term Mahāyāna ("Great Vehicle") was originally
even an honorary synonym for Bodhisattvayāna, or the
"Bodhisattva Vehicle." The Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā
Sūtra contains a simple and brief definition for the term bodhisattva,
which is also the earliest known Mahāyāna definition. This definition is
given as the following.[4]
Because he has enlightenment as his
aim, a bodhisattva-mahāsattva is so called.
Mahāyāna Buddhism encourages
everyone to become bodhisattvas and to take the bodhisattva
vows. With these vows, one makes the
promise to work for the complete enlightenment of all sentient beings by practicing the six perfections. Indelibly
entwined with the bodhisattva vow is merit
transference (pariṇāmanā).
In Mahāyāna Buddhism life in this
world is compared to people living in a house that is on fire. People take this
world as reality pursuing worldly projects and pleasures without realizing that
the house is on fire and will soon burn down (due to the inevitability of
death). A bodhisattva is one who has a determination to free sentient beings
from samsara and
its cycle of death, rebirth and suffering. This type of mind is known as
the mind of awakening (bodhicitta).
Bodhisattvas take bodhisattva
vows in order to progress on the
spiritual path towards buddhahood.[5]
There are a variety of different
conceptions of the nature of a bodhisattva in Mahāyāna. According to some
Mahāyāna sources a bodhisattva is someone on the path to full Buddhahood.
Others speak of bodhisattvas renouncing Buddhahood. According to the Kun-bzang
bla-ma'i zhal-lung, a bodhisattva can choose any of three paths to help
sentient beings in the process of achieving buddhahood. They are:
1.
king-like bodhisattva - one who
aspires to become buddha as soon as possible and then help sentient beings in
full fledge;
2.
boatman-like bodhisattva - one who
aspires to achieve buddhahood along with other sentient beings and
3.
Shepherd-like bodhisattva - one who
aspires to delay buddhahood until all other sentient beings achieve buddhahood.
Bodhisattvas like Avalokiteśvara andŚāntideva are believed to fall in this category.
According to the doctrine of some
Tibetan schools (like Theravāda but for different reasons), only the first of
these is recognized. It is held that Buddhas remain in the world, able to help
others, so there is no point in delay. Geshe Kelsang
Gyatso notes:
In
reality, the second two types of bodhicitta are wishes that are impossible to
fulfill because it is only possible to lead others to enlightenment once we
have attained enlightenment our self. Therefore, only king-like bodhicitta is
actual bodhicitta. Je Tsongkhapa says that although the other Bodhisattvas wish
for that which is impossible, their attitude is sublime and unmistaken.
The Nyingma school,
however, holds that the lowest level is the way of the king, who primarily
seeks his own benefit but who recognizes that his benefit depends crucially on
that of his kingdom and his subjects. The middle level is the path of the
boatman, who ferries his passengers across the river and simultaneously, of
course, ferries himself as well. The highest level is that of the shepherd, who
makes sure that all his sheep arrive safely ahead of him and places their
welfare above his own.
Ten grounds
According to many traditions within Mahayana
Buddhism, on the way to becoming a Buddha, a bodhisattva proceeds through ten,
or sometimes fourteen, grounds or bhumis. Before a bodhisattva arrives at the
first ground, he or she first must travel the first two of the five paths:
The
path of accumulation
The
path of preparation
The ten grounds of the bodhisattva
then can be grouped into the next three paths
Bhumi
1 the path of insight, Bhumis 2-7 the path of meditation, Bhumis 8-10 the path
of no more learning
The chapter of ten grounds in the
Avataṃsaka Sutra refers to 52 stages. The 10 grounds are:
Great Joy:
It is said that being close to enlightenment and seeing the benefit for all
sentient beings, one achieves great joy, hence the name. In this bhumi the
bodhisattvas practice all perfections, but especially emphasizing generosity (dana).
Stainless:
In accomplishing the second bhumi, the bodhisattva is free from the stains of
immorality; therefore, this bhumi is named "stainless". The
emphasized perfection is moral discipline (sila).
Luminous:
The third bhumi is named "luminous", because, for a bodhisattva who
accomplishes this bhumi, the light of Dharma is said to radiate for others from
the bodhisattva. The emphasized perfection is patience (kṣanti).
Radiant:
This bhumi is called "radiant", because it is said to be like a
radiating light that fully burns that which opposes enlightenment. The
emphasized perfection is vigor (virya).
Very difficult to train:
Bodhisattvas who attain this bhumi strive to help sentient beings attain
maturity, and do not become emotionally involved when such beings respond
negatively, both of which are difficult to do. The emphasized perfection is
meditative concentration (dhyana).
Obviously Transcendent:
By depending on the perfection of wisdom, the bodhisattva does not abide in
either saṃsara or nirvaṇa, so this state is "obviously transcendent".
The emphasized perfection is wisdom (prajna).
Gone afar: It emphasis on the perfection of skillful
means (upaya), to help others.
Immovable:
The emphasized virtue is aspiration. This, the "immovable" bhumi, is
the bhumi at which one becomes able to choose his place of rebirth.
Good Discriminating Wisdom: The
emphasized virtue is power.
Cloud of Dharma:
The emphasized virtue is the practice of primordial wisdom.
After
the ten bhumis, according to Mahayana Buddhism, one attains complete
enlightenment and becomes a Buddha.
Neo
Buddhism
Neo Buddhism is a modern Buddhist revivalist
movement in India. As a popular movement, Neo-Buddhism Began on Oct 14, 1956
when B.R. Ambedkar, the 20th century’s most prominent Untouchable
converted to Buddhism along with nearly 600,000 of his followers. Born as an
untouchable, Ambedkar was not an exception to face and experience the same
humiliation and tribulation, which every untouchable had to face in those days.
He struggled continuously to face poverty and untouchablity.[6] In
his own words: “Owing to the poverty of my father I did not have the
opportunity to enjoy any of these luxuries. Till late in life I suffered
excessively and labored very hard.” He had seen people not having sufficient
food to eat; women with no clothes to cover their bodies; no roof over their
heads to give them shelter; no land to grow food grains. They were oppressed
and exploited; they had no dignity, no value at all.
Originality in
Buddhism
After
a "close study of all religions" for 35 years, Ambedkar was convinced
that the novelty of teachings, leadership qualities, scientific temper, logical
arguments make "Religion of the Buddha", the ideal religion for the
"modern man who knows science". He was convinced that "Buddhism
was the only religion" which could save society "awakened by
science" and "without which the society would perish".
One
of the reasons for the "slow advance of Buddhism", according to
Ambedkar, is its vast literature, and the other hurdle in its growth is that
"it has no such thing as a Bible, as the Christians have". It was to
fill this gap that he undertook the task of writingThe Buddha and His Dhamma in a lucid and clear way. He based his book on Ashvaghosha’s Buddhavitta (Buddhacharita).
The manuscript was completed just three days before his death.[7]
Though
in all humility, Ambedkar does not claim any originality and says that his book
is a product of "compilation and assembly plant", his treatment of
the issues relating to Buddhism is quite novel, logical and clear. He does not
brush aside the vexing questions relating to Buddhism but takes them head on.
For example, he rejects the popular theory that Buddha became a recluse after
seeing a sick, an old and a dead body and advocates a more authentic version of
it. He also refutes the commonly held view that Buddhism is a pessimistic
religion, and shows how the Buddha is able to reconcile between his doctrine of Anatamvada — no soul theory, and the doctrine
of Karma. Finally, he also dwells on the need, necessity and role of Bhikkus —
monks in Buddhism.
He
not only explains the expressions used by the Buddha but also uses current
terminology to give it a constructive, critical and modern interpretation. For
instance, while explaining the notion of conversion, he makes a distinction
between the "conversion to the order of Bhikkus called Sangha" and
"conversion of a householder as an Upaska or lay follower of the Buddha’s
Dhamma". The norms for the two are different. While Bhikkus can be
punished for violation of the norms, for the Upaska they are just precepts. Pokka (Upeksha), one of the virtues taught by
Buddha, is interpreted by Ambedkar not as indifference as is usually done but
as detachment. This interpretation gives a new dimension to the virtue Upeksha.[8]
Ambedkar
wrote the book for the laity in the form of serially numbered aphorisms and,
therefore, he did not much care to mention the references and sources on which
he based his interpretation. Due to his untimely death, he could not complete
the Preface and even polish the language
before its publication. He was criticised for not including the citations and
was accused of fabricating "sources in support of his ideology".
Bodhisattva Babasaheb Dr. B. R.
Ambedkar
Ambedkar
delivering a speech to a rally at Yeola, Nashik, on 13
October 1935, At the Yeola conference in 1935, prominent Indian leader and
first law minister B.
R. Ambedkar declared that he would not die
a Hindu, saying that it perpetuates caste injustices. Ambedkar was approached by various leaders
of different denominations and faiths. Meetings were held to discuss the
question of Dalit religion and the pros and cons of conversion. On 22 May
1936, an "All Religious Conference" was held at Lucknow.
It was attended by prominent Dalit leaders including Jagjivan Ram,
though Ambedkar could not attend it. At the conference, Muslim, Christian,
Sikh, and Buddhist representatives presented the tenets of their respective
religions in an effort to win over Dalits.
Buddhist monk Lokanatha visited
Ambedkar's residence at Dadar on 10 June 1936 and tried to persuade him to
embrace Buddhism. Later in an interview to the press, Lokanatha said that
Ambedkar was impressed with Buddhism and that his own ambition was to convert
all Dalits to Buddhism. In 1937, Lokanatha published a pamphlet Buddhism
Will Make You Free, dedicated to the "Depressed Classes" of India
from his press in Ceylon.[9]
In early 1940s, Ambedkar visited
Acharya Ishvardatt Medharthi's Buddhpuri school in Kanpur. Medharthi had
earlier been initiated into Buddhism byLokanatha, and by the mid-1940s, he had close contacts with Ambedkar.
For a short while, Ambedkar also took Pali classes from Medharthi in Delhi.
Bodhananda Mahastvir and B.
R. Ambedkar first met in 1926, at the
"Indian Non-Brahmin Conference" convened by Shahu IV of Kolhapur. They met on two more
occasions and for a short while in the 1940s, where they discussed dhamma.
Mahastavir objected to Dr Ambedkar's second marriage because his bride was a
Brahmin. Later, his followers actively participated in Ambedkar's
Republican Party of India.
Ambedkar's conversion
After publishing a series of books
and articles arguing that Buddhism was the only way for the Untouchables to
gain equality, Ambedkar publicly converted on 14 October 1956, atDeekshabhoomi, Nagpur.
He took the three refuges and the
Five Precepts from a Buddhist monk, Bhadant
U Chandramani, in the traditional manner, and in his turn administered them to
the 600,000 of his followers who were present. The conversion ceremony was
attended by Medharthi, his main disciple Bhoj Dev Mudit, and Mahastvir
Bodhanand's Sri Lankan successor, Bhante Pragyanand. Ambedkar would die
less than two months later, just after finishing his definitive work on Buddhism.
Many Dalits employ the term
"Ambedkar(ite) Buddhism" to designate the Buddhist movement, which
started with Ambedkar's conversion. Many converted people call themselves
"-Bauddha" i.e. Buddhists.
22 Vows of Ambedkar[10]
After receiving ordination, Ambedkar
gave dhamma diksha to
his followers. The ceremony included 22 vows given to all new converts after
Three Jewels and Five Precepts. On 14 October 1956, Ambedkar performed another
mass religious conversion ceremony at Chanda.
He prescribed 22 vows to his
followers:
2.
I shall have no faith in Rama and Krishna, who are believed to be incarnation of God, nor shall I
worship them.
3.
I shall have no faith in Gauri, Ganapati and
other gods and goddesses of Hindus nor shall I worship them.
4.
I do not believe in the incarnation
of God.
5.
I do not and shall not believe that
Lord Buddha was the incarnation of Vishnu. I believe this to be sheer madness
and false propaganda.
7.
I shall not act in a manner
violating the principles and teachings of the Buddha.
9.
I shall believe in the equality of
man.
10.
I shall Endeavour to establish
equality.
12.
I shall follow the ten paramitas prescribed
by the Buddha.
14.
I shall not steal.
15.
I shall not tell lies.
16.
I shall not commit carnal sins.
18.
I shall Endeavour to follow the noble
eightfold path and practice compassion and loving-kindness in everyday life.
19.
I renounce Hinduism, which disfavors humanity and impedes the advancement and
development of humanity because it is based on inequality, and adopt Buddhism
as my religion.
20.
I firmly believe the Dhamma of
the Buddha is the only true religion.
21.
I consider that I have taken a new
birth.
22.
I solemnly declare and affirm that I
shall hereafter lead my life according to the teachings of Buddha's Dhamma.
Conclusion
Buddhism is one
of the nontheistic religions in the world. It accepts everyone and gives equal
priority to everyone in the society. Major theme of Buddhism is to attain
nirvana. It gives more importance to those who are under privileged and
untouchables in the society. Through this paper we could understand the value
and importance of Buddhism.
Bibliography
Chalam,
K S. Relevance of Ambedkarism in India. New Delhi: Rawat Publications,
1996.
Christmas,
Humphreys. The Wisdom of Buddhism.
London: Curzon Press Pvt Ltd,1979.
David, E.R. Buddhism
as in Performance. New Delhi: D K Print World, 1999.
Edwerd Conze. Buddhism.
New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers,1994.
Narasu, Lakshmi P. The Essence of Buddhism.
New Delhi: Asian educational Services, 1985.
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FEB, 3:35 pm)
http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha030.htm
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism
(24th FEB, 4:40 pm)
[1] Christmas Humphreys, The Wisdom Of Buddhism (London: Curzon
Press Pvt Ltd,1979) , 113-114.
[2] David E.R, Buddhism as in Performance (New Delhi: D K Print World, 1999), 63-68.
[3] Edwerd Conze, Buddhism
(New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 1994), 121-122.
[4] Ibid, 135.
[5] David E.R, Buddhism as in Performance (New Delhi: D K Print World, 1999), 69.
[6] K S Chalam,Relevance of
Ambedkarism in India. (New Delhi: Rawat Publications, 1996), 46.
[7] K S Chalam, Relevance of
Ambedkarism in India. (New Delhi: Rawat Publications, 1996), 48.
[8] Edwerd Conze, Buddhism (New Delhi: Munshiram
Manoharlal Publishers, 1994), 124.
[9] Christmas Humphreys,The Wisdom Of Buddhism(London:Curzon
Press Pvt Ltd,1979),115.
[10] K S Chalam Relevance of
Ambedkarism in India. (New Delhi: Rawat Publications, 1996), 55.
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