Index
First Book
Second Book - First Part
Second Book - Second Part. - The Seven Lectures.
Second Book - Third Part.
Second Book - Fourth Part.
FIRST BOOK
FIRST LECTURE, CALLED KNOWLEDGE OF THE WEAPON 
FIRST LESSON.
O long-lived (Gambusvamin)! I (Sudharman) have heard the following
discourse from the venerable (Mahivira): (1)
Here many do not remember whether they have descended in an eastern
direction (when they were born in this world), or in a southern, or in
a western, or in a northern direction, or in the direction from above,
or in the direction from below, or in a direction intermediate
(between the cardinal points), or in a direction intermediate between
these (and the cardinal points). (2) Similarly, some do not know
whether their soul is born again and again or not; nor what they were
formerly, nor what they will become after having died and left this
world. (3) Now this is what one should know, either by one's own
knowledge or through the instruction of the highest (i.e. a Tirthakara),
or having heard it from others: that he descended in an eastern
direction, or in any other direction (particularised above).
Similarly,some know that their soul is born again and again, that it
arrives in this or that direction, whatever direction that may be. (4)
He believes in soul, believes in the World believes in rewards,
believes in action (acknowledged to be our own doing in such judgments
as these): 'I did it;' 'I shall cause another to do it;' 'I shall
allow another to do it.' In the world, these are all the causes of
sin, which must be comprehended and renounced. (5) A man that does not
comprehend and renounce the causes of sin, descends in a cardinal or
intermediate direction, wanders to all cardinal or intermediate
directions, is born again and again in manifold births, experiences
all painful feelings. (6) About this the Revered One has taught the
truth (comprehension and renunciation). For the sake of the splendour,
honour, and glory of this life, for the sake of birth, death, and
final liberation, for the removal of pain, all these causes of sin are
at work, which are to be comprehended and renounced in this world. He
who, in the world, comprehends and renounces these causes of sin, is
called a reward-knowing sage (muni). Thus I say'. (7)
SECOND LESSON.
The (living) world is afflicted, miserable, difficult to instruct, and
without discrimination. In this world full of pain, suffering by their
different acts, see the benighted ones cause great pain. (1) See!
there are beings individually embodied (in earth; not one all-soul).
See! there are men who control themselves, (whilst others only)
pretend to be houseless (i.e. monks, such as the Bauddhas, whose
conduct differs not from that of householders), because one destroys
this (earth-body) by bad and injurious doings, and many other beings,
besides, which he hurts by means of earth, through his doing acts
relating to earth. (2) About this the Revered One has taught the
truth: for the sake of the splendour, honour, and glory of this life,
for the sake of birth, death, and final liberation, for the removal of
pain, man acts sinfully towards earth, or causes others to act so, or
allows others to act so. This deprives him of happiness and perfect
wisdom. About this he is informed when he has understood or heard,
either from the Revered One or from the monks, the faith to be
coveted. (3) There are some who, of a truth, know this (i. e.
injuring) to be the bondage, the delusion, the death, the hell. For
this' a man is longing when he destroys this (earth-body) by bad,
injurious doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by
means of earth, through his doing acts relating to earth. Thus I say.
(4)
As somebody may cut or strike a blind man (who cannot see the
wound), as somebody may cut or strike the foot, the ankle, the knee,
the thigh, the hip, the navel, the belly, the flank, the back, the
bosom, the heart, the breast, the neck, the arm, the finger, the nail,
the eye, the brow, the forehead, the head, as some kill (openly), as
some extirpate (secretly), (thus the earth-bodies are cut, struck, and
killed though their feeling is not manifest). (5)
He who injures these (earth-bodies) does not comprehend and
renounce the sinful acts; he who does not injure these, comprehends
and renounces the sinful acts. Knowing them, a wise man should not act
sinfully towards earth, nor cause others to act so, nor allow others
to act so. He who knows these causes of sin relating to earth, is
called a reward-knowing sage. Thus I say. (6)
THIRD LESSON.
(Thus I say): He who acts rightly, who does .pious work, who practises
no deceit, is called houseless. (1) One should, conquering the world,
persevere in that (vigour of) faith which one had. on the entrance in
the order; the heroes (of faith), humbly bent, (should retaintheir
belief in) the illustrious road (to final liberation) and in the world
(of water-bodies); having rightly comprehended them through the
instruction (of Mah1vira), (they should retain) that which causes no
danger (i.e. self-control). Thus I say. (2) A man should not (himself)
deny the world of (water-bodies), nor should he deny the self. He who
denies the world (of water-bodies), denies the self; and he who denies
the self, denies the world of (water-bodies). (3)
See! there are men who control themselves; others pretend only to
be houseless; for one destroys this (water-body) by bad, injurious
doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of
water, through his doing acts relating to water. (4) About this the
Revered One has taught the truth: for the sake of the splendour,
honour, and glory of this life, for the sake of birth, death, and
final liberation, for the removal of pain, man acts sinfully towards
water, or causes others to act so, or allows others to act so. (5)
This deprives him of happiness and perfect wisdom. About this he is
informed when he has understood and heard from the Revered One, or
from the monks, the faith to be coveted. There are some who, of a
truth, know this (i.e. injuring) to be the bondage, the delusion, the
death, the hell. For this a man is longing when he destroys this
(water-body) by bad and injurious doings, and many other beings,
besides, which he hurts by means of water, through his doing acts
relating to water. Thus I say. (6)
There are beings living in water, many lives; of a truth, to the
monks water has been declared to be living matter. See! considering
the injuries (done to water-bodies), those acts (which are injuries,
but must be done before the use of water, e.g. straining) have been
distinctly declared. Moreover he (who uses water which is not
strained) takes away what has not been given (i.e. the bodies of
water-lives). (A Bauddha will object): 'We have permission, we have
permission to drink it, or (to take it) for toilet purposes.' Thus
they destroy by various injuries (the water-bodies). But in this their
doctrine is of no authority.
He who injures these (water-bodies) does not comprehend and
renounce the sinful acts; he who does not injure these, comprehends
and renounces the sinful acts. (7) Knowing them, a wise man should not
act sinfully towards water, nor cause others to act so, nor allow
others to act so. He who knows these causes of sin relating to water,
is called a reward-knowing sage. Thus I say. (8)
FOURTH LESSON.
(Thus I say): A man should not, of his own accord, deny the world (of
fire-bodies), nor should he deny the self. He who denies the world (of
fire-bodies), denies the self; and he who denies the self, denies the
world (of fire-bodies). (1) He who knows that (viz. fire) through
which injury is done to the long-living bodies (i.e. plants), knows
also that which does no injury (i.e. control); and he who knows that
which does no injury, knows also that through which no injury is done
to the long-living bodies. (2) This has been seen by the heroes (of
faith) who conquered ignorance; for they control themselves, always
exert themselves, always mind their duty. He who is unmindful of duty,
and desiring of the qualities (i.e. of the pleasure and profit which
may be derived from the elements) is called the torment (of living
beings). Knowing this, a wise man (resolves): 'Now (I shall do) no
more what I used to do want only before.' (3) See! there are men who
control themselves; others pretend only to be houseless; for one
destroys this (fire-body) by bad and injurious doings, and many other
beings, besides, which he hurts by means of fire, through his doing
acts relating to fire. About this the Revered One has taught the
truth: for the sake of the splendour, honour, and glory of this life,
for the sake of birth, death, and final liberation, for the removal of
pain, man acts sinfully towards fire, or causes others to act so, or
allows others to act so. (4) This deprives him of happiness and
perfect wisdom. About this he is informed when he has understood, or
heard from the Revered One or from the monks, the faith to be coveted.
There are some who, of a truth, know this (i.e. injuring) to be the
bondage, the delusion, the death, the hell. For this a man is longing,
when he destroys this (fire-body) by bad and injurious doings, and
many other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of fire, through
his doing acts relating to fire. Thus I say. (5)
There are beings living in the earth, living in grass, living on
leaves, living in wood, living in cowdung, living in dust-heaps,
jumping beings which coming near (fire) fall into it. Some, certainly,
touched by fire, shrivel up; those which shrivel up there, lose their
sense there; those which lose their sense there, die there. (6)
He who injures these (fire-bodies) does not comprehend and renounce
the sinful acts; he who does not injure these, comprehends and
renounces the sinful acts. Knowing them, a wise man should not act
sinfully towards fire, nor cause others to act so, nor allow others to
act so. He who knows the causes of sin relating to fire, is called a
reward knowing sage. Thus I say. (7)
FIFTH LESSON.
I shall not do (acts relating to plants) after having entered the
order, having recognised (the truth about these acts), and having
conceived that which is free from danger (i.e. control).'
He who does no acts (relating to plants), has ceased from works; he
who has ceased from them is called 'houseless.' (1) Quality is the
whirlpool (avatta=samsara), and the whirlpool is quality. Looking up,
down, aside, eastward, be sees colours, hearing he hears sounds; (2)
longing upwards, down, aside, eastward, he becomes attached to colours
and sounds. That is called the world; not guarded against it, not
obeying the law (of the Tirthakaras), relishing the qualities,
conducting him-
self wrongly, he will wantonly live in a house (i.e. belong to the
world). (3)
See! there are men who control themselves; others pretend only to
be houseless,for one destroys this(body of a plant) by bad and
injurious doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by
means of plants, through his doing acts relating to plants. (4) About
this the Revered One has taught the truth: for the sake of the
splendour, honour, and glory of this life, for the sake of birth,
death, and final liberation, for the removal of pain, man acts
sinfully towards plants, or causes others to act so, or allows others
to act so. This deprives him of happiness and perfect wisdom. About
this he is informed when he has understood, or heard from the Revered
One. or from the monks, the faith to be coveted. There are some who,
of a truth, know this (i.e. injuring) to be the bondage, the delusion,
the death, the hell. For this a man is longing when he destroys this
(body of a plant) by bad and injurious doings, and many other beings,
besides, which he hurts by means of plants, through his doing acts
relating to plants. Thus I say. (5)
As the nature of this (i.e. men) is to be born and to grow old, so
is the nature of that (i.e. plants) to be born and to grow old; as
this has relson, so that has reason'; as this falls sick when cut, so
that falls sick when cut; as this needs food, so that needs food; as
this will decay, so that will decay; as this is not eternal, so that
is not eternal; as this takes increment, so that takes increment; as
this is changing, so that is changing. (6) He who injures these
(plants) does not comprehend and renounce the sinful acts; he who does
not injure these, comprehends and renounces the sinful acts. Knowing
them, a wise man should not act sinfully towards plants, nor cause
others to act so, nor allow others to act so. He who knows these
causes of sin relating to plants, is called a reward-knowing sage.
Thus I say (7).
SIXTH LESSON
Thus I say. There are beings called the animate, viz. those who are
produced 1. from eggs (birds, &c.), 2. from a fetus (as elephants,
&c.), 3. from a fetus with an enveloping membrane (as cows,
buffaloes, &c.), 4. from fluids (as worms, &c.) 5, from sweat
(as bugs, lice, &c.), 6. by coagulation (as locusts, ants,
&c.), 7. from sprouts (as butterflies, wagtails, &c.), 8. by
regeneration (men, gods, hell-beings). This is called the Samsara (1)
for the slow, for the ignorant. Having well considered it, having well
looked at it, I say thus: all beings, those with two, three, four
senses, plants, those with five senses, and the rest of creation,
(experience) individually pleasure or displeasure, pain, great terror,
and unhappiness. Beings are filled with alarm from all directions and
in all directions- See! there the benighted ones cause great pain.
See! there are beings individually embodied. (2)
See! there are men who control themselves; others pretend only to
be houseless, for one destroy this (body of an animal) by bad and
injurious doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by
means of animals, through his doing acts relating to animals. (3)
About this the Revered One has taught the truth: for the sake of the
splendour, honour, and glory of this life, for the sake of birth,
death, and final liberation, for the removal of pain, man acts
sinfully towards animals, or causes others to act so, or allows others
to act so. This deprives him of happiness and perfect wisdom. About
this he is informed, when he has understood, or heard from the Revered
One or from the monks, the faith to be coveted. There are some who, of
a truth, know this (i.e. injuring) to be the bondage, the illusion,
the death, the hell. For this a man is longing, when he injures this
(body of an animal) by bad and injurious doings, and many other
beings, besides, which he hurts by means of animals, through acts
relating to animals. Thus I say. (4)
Some slay (animals) for sacrificial purposes, some kill (animals)
for the sake of their skin, some kill (them) for the sake of their
flesh, some kill them for the sake of their blood; thus for the sake
of their heart, their bile, the feathers of their tail, their tail,
their big or small horns, their teeth, their tusks, their nails, their
sinews, their bones; with a purpose or without a purpose. Some kill
animals because they have been wounded by them, or are wounded, or
will be wounded. (5)
He who injures these (animals) does not comprehend and renounce the
sinful acts; he-who does not injure these, comprehends and renounces
the sinful acts. Knowing them, a wise man should not act sinfully
towards animals, nor cause others to act so, nor allow others to act
so. He who knows these causes of sin relating to animals, is called a
reward-knowing sage. Thus I say. (6)
SEVENTH LESSON.
He who is averse from (all actions relating to) wind, knows
affliction. Knowing what is bad, he who knows it with regard to
himself, knows it with regard to (the world) outside; and he who knows
it with regard to (the world) outside, knows it with regard to
himself: this reciprocity (between himself and) others (one should
mind). Those who are appeased, who are free from passion, do not
desire to live. (i)
See! there are men who control themselves; others pretend only to
be houseless, for one destroys this (wind-body) by bad and injurious
doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of
wind, through his doing acts relating to wind. (2) About this the
Revered One has taught the truth: for the sake of the splendour,
honour, and glory of this life, for the sake of birth, death, and
final liberation, for. the removal of pain, man acts sinfully towards
wind, or causes others to act so, or allows others to act so. This
deprives him of happiness and perrfect wisdom. About this he is
informed when he has understood, or heard from the Revered One or from
the monks, the faith to be coveted. There are some who, of a truth,
know this to be the bondage, the delusion, the death, the hell. For
this a man is longing when he destroys this (wind-body) by bad and
injurious acts, and many other -beings, besides, which he hurts by
means of wind, through his doing acts relating to wind. Thus I say.
(3)
There are jumping beings which, coming near wind, fall into it.
Some, certainly, touched by wind, shrivel tip; those which shrivel up
there, lose their sense there; those which lose their sense there, die
there. (4)
He who injures these (wind-bodies) does not comprehend and renounce
the sinful acts; he who does not injure these, comprehends and
renounces the sinful acts. Knowing them, a wise man should not act
sinfully towards wind, nor cause others to act so, nor allow others to
act so. He who knows these causes of sin relating to wind, is called a
rewardknowing sage. Thus I say. (5)
Be aware that about this (wind-body) too those are involved in sin
who delight not in the right conduct, and, though doing acts, talk
about religious discipline, who conducting themselves according to
their own will, pursuing sensual pleasures, and engaging in acts, are
addicted to worldliness. He who has the true knowledge about all
things, will commit no sinful act, nor cause others to do so, &c.
(6) Knowing them, a wise man should not act sinfully towards the
aggregate of six (kinds of) lives, nor cause others to act so, nor
allow others to act so. He who knows these causes of sin relating to
the aggregate of the six (kinds of) lives, is'called a reward-knowing
sage. Thus I say. (7)
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