Sutrakritanga 1 · Jaina Sutras – Jacobi · Verses Across
Jainism · Agamas
Sutrakritanga 1Book I, Lecture 1: The Doctrine
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Jainism · Agamas
Sutrakritanga 1
Book I, Lecture 1: The Doctrine
JacobiEnglish
One should know what causes the bondage of Soul, and knowing (it) one should remove it.
(Gambusvamin asked Sudharman):
What causes the bondage (of Soul) according to Mahavira? and what must one know in order to remove it?
(Sudharman answered):
He who owns even a small property in living or lifeless things, or consents to others holding it, will not be delivered from misery.
If a man kills living beings, or causes other men to kill them, or consents to their killing them, his iniquity will go on increasing.
A sinner who makes the interests of his kinsmen and companions his own, will suffer much; for the number of those whose interest he takes to heart constantly increases.
All this, his wealth and his nearest relations, cannot protect him (from future misery); knowing (this) and (the value of) life, he will get rid of Karman.
Some men, Sramanas and Brahmanas, who ignore and deny these true words, adhere (to their own tenets), and are given to pleasures.
Some profess (the exclusive belief in) the five gross elements: earth, water, fire, wind, and air.
'These five gross elements (are the original causes of things), from them arises another (thing, viz. atman); for on the dissolution of the (five elements) living beings cease to exist.
'And as the Earth, though it is but one pile, presents many forms, so the intelligent (principle, viz. the atman) appears under various forms as the universe.'
Thus say some fools. (But how can they explain on their theory that) the man engaging in undertakings, who has committed a sin, will himself suffer severe pain.?
'Everybody, fool or sage, has an individual soul. These souls exist (as long as the body), but after death they are no more; there are no souls which are born again.
'There is neither virtue nor vice, there is no world beyond; on the dissolution of the body the individual ceases to be.'
'When a man acts or causes another to act, it is not his soul (atman) which acts or causes to act.' Thus they (viz. the adherents of the Sankhya philosophy) boldly proclaim.
How can those who hold such opinions explain (the variety of existence in) the world? They go from darkness to utter darkness, being fools and engaged in works.
Some say that there are five elements and that
the soul is a sixth (substance), but they contend that the soul and the world (i.e. the five elements) are eternal.
'These (six substances) do not perish neither (without nor with a cause); the non-existent does not come into existence, but all things are eternal by their very nature.'
Some fools say that there are five skandhas of momentary existence. They do not admit that (the soul) is different from, nor identical with (the elements), that it is produced from a cause (i.e. the elements), nor that it is without a cause (i.e. that it is eternal).
The Ganayas say that there are four elements: earth, water, fire, and wind, which combined form the body (or soul?).
(All these heretics say): 'Those who dwell in houses, in woods, or on hills, will be delivered from all misery if they adopt our creed.'
But they do not cross the Flood of Life, who, ignoring the true relation of things, and not versed in the true Law, hold the above heretical opinions.
They do not reach the end of the Samsara, who, ignoring, &c.
They do not reach the end of transmigration, who, &c.
They do not put an end to birth, who, &c.
They do not put an end to misery, who, &c.
They do not put an end to death, who, &c.
They will again and again experience manifold pains in this ring of the earth, which is full of death, disease, and old age.
The highest Gina, Mahavira the Gnatriputra, has said that they will undergo births without number, being placed in all sorts of existences.
Thus I say.
Again some say: 'It is proved that there are individual souls; they experience pleasure and pain; and (on dying) they lose their state of life.
'But misery (and pleasure) is not caused by (the souls) themselves; how could it be caused by other (agents, as time, &c.)? Pleasure and misery, final beatitude and temporal (pleasure and pain) are not
caused by (the souls) themselves, nor by others; but the individual souls experience them; it is the lot assigned them by destiny.' This is what they (i.e. the fatalists) say. (2, 3)
Those who proclaim these opinions, are fools who fancy themselves learned; they have no knowledge, and do not understand that things depend partly on fate, and partly on human exertion.
Thus (say) some heretics; they are very bold men; if they act up to their principles, they will never be delivered from misery.
As the swift deer who are destitute of protection, are frightened where there is no danger, and not frightened where there is danger;
(As) they dread safe places, but do not dread traps; they are bewildered by ignorance and fear, and run hither and thither;
If they did jump over the noose or pass under it, they would escape from the snare; but the stupid animal does not notice it;
The unhappy animal, being of a weak intellect, runs into the dangerous (place), is caught in the snare, &c., and is killed there;
So some unworthy Sramanas who hold wrong doctrines are afraid of what is free from danger, and are not afraid of real dangers. (to)
The fools dread the preaching of the Law, but
they do not dread works, being without discernment and knowledge.
Shaking off greed, pride, deceit, and wrath, one becomes free from Karman. This is a subject (which an ignorant man, like) a brute animal, does not attend to.
The unworthy heretics who do not acknowledge this, will incur death an endless number of times, like deer caught in a snare.
All Brahmanas and Sramanas contend that they possess the knowledge (of the truth), but the creatures in the whole world do not know anything.
As a Mlekkha repeats what an Arya has said, but does not understand the meaning, merely repeating his words, so the ignorant, though pretending to possess knowledge, do not know the truth, just as an uninstructed Mlekkha. (15, 16)
The speculations of the Agnostics cannot lead to knowledge; they cannot reach the truth by themselves, still less teach it to other men.
As when a man in a wood who does not know it, follows a guide who also does not know it, both being unacquainted (with the place), come to great trouble;
As when one blind man is the guide of another, the man walks a great distance, loses his way, or follows a wrong way;
Thus some who search after salvation and pretend
to practise the (true) Law, follow the false Law and do not arrive at the thoroughly right (thing, viz. self-control).
Thus some (wrong philosophers) do not apply to others for arguments, but they continue to err because they believe their own arguments to be right.
Thus arguing according to their light, and ignorant about what is right and wrong, they do not get out of misery as birds do not get out of their cage.
They praise their own creed and blame that of their opponents, but those who act in this respect the part of philosophers, will be kept confined in the Circle of Births.
There is the doctrine of the Kriyavadins, which has been previously explained; it augments the misery of worldly existence of those who do not well consider the nature of acts.
'He who intends (to kill) a living being but does not do it by (an act of) his body, and he who unknowingly kills one, both are affected by that act through a slight contact (with it) only, but the demerit (in their case) is not fully developed.'
'There are three ways of committing sins: by one's own activity, by commission, by approval (of the deed).
'These are the three ways of committing sins. Thus by purity of the heart one reaches Nirvana.
'A layman may kill his son (during a famine) and eat him; a wise (monk) who partakes of the meat, will not be defiled by the sin.'
The mind of those who sin in thoughts is not pure; they are wrong, they do not conduct themselves carefully.
Men attached to pleasure, who think that the above-mentioned doctrines will save them, commit sins.
As a blind-born man getting into a leaky boat, wants to reach the shore, but is drowned during the passage, so some unworthy, heretical Sramanas wish to get beyond the Circle of Births, but they are whirled round in it. (31, 32)
Thus I say.
If a monk should eat forbidden food which a pious (layman) has prepared for some guest, and which food has been mixed up with even thousand (times more
pure food), he would be neither monk nor layman.
Sramanas who do not comprehend this and do not know what is dangerous, who care for the pleasures of the moment only, will suffer death an endless number of times, like big fishes who when the water rises are by the water (deposited) on dry land and are killed (there), poor things, by hungry dhankas and herons. (2-4)
We hear also of another error of some (philosophers): some say that the world has been created (or is governed) by the gods, others, by Brahman. Some say that it has been created by the Isvara, others that it was produced from chaos, &c., this world with living beings and lifeless things, with its variety of pleasure and pain.
The great Rishi said, that the world has been created by Svayambhu; Mara originated Maya, therefore the world (appears to be) uneternal.
Some Brahmanas and Sramanas say that the
universe was produced from the (primeval) egg, and He (Brahman) created the things. These ignorant men speak untruth.
Those who on arguments of their own maintain that the world has been created, do not know the truth. Nor will (the world) ever perish.
Know that misery arises from wicked deeds. How can those who do not know the origin (of misery) know its prevention?
Some say that the soul (of him who is) pure will become free from bad Karman (on reaching beatitude), but that in that state it will again become defiled through pleasant excitement or hate.
(According to them) he who has lived on earth as a restrained monk, will afterwards become free from Karman. As clear water which was free from defilement becomes again defiled, so (will be the soul).
A wise man should consider that these (heretics) do not lead a life of chastity, and that all these disputants proclaim their own creed in opposition (to the others).
(Others maintain that) perfection can only be reached by their method of religious life, not otherwise; and that even before (that time) they have
their senses under control and possess everything to be wished for.
Some say that they will be perfected and sound.
On the head of Perfection some men are infatuated with their own doctrines.
But these uncontrolled (men) will whirl round in the beginningless (Circle of Births); after a Kalpa they will rise from their sphere to become the lowest of Asuras.
Thus I say.
These (philosophers) who are vanquished (by their passions) cannot help you in cases where a sinner perishes; though having given up their former occupations they will give advice in worldly matters.
A wise monk who fully appreciates this, should not mix with those (heretics); without conceit and not attached to them a sage should lead a life equally removed (from love and hate).
Some say that those who own possessions and engage in undertakings (may reach perfection); but a monk should take his refuge to those who neither own possessions nor engage in undertakings.
A wise man should beg food which has been
prepared (for somebody else), and he should accept what is freely given him, without greed and passions; he should abstain from overbearing behaviour.
He should know the talk of people: some say things which are the outcome of a wrong understanding and are but opinions of others repeated.
'The world is boundless and eternal, it exists from eternity and does not perish; (another) bold philosopher says that the world is limited, but eternal.
'Some say that the knowledge (of the highest authority) is unlimited; but the same bold philosopher says that it is limited in every way.'
Some beings have motion, others not; it depends on certain conditions whether they are in the one state or in the other.
(E. g. big creatures) have one form of bodily existence and then another. But all are subject to pain; hence they should not be killed.
This is the quintessence of wisdom: not to kill anything. Know this to be the legitimate conclusion
from the principle of the reciprocity with regard to non-killing.
Living (according to the rules of conduct), and without greed, one should take care of the highest good.
In walking, in sitting and lying down, and in food and drink: with regard to these three points a monk should always control himself.
And he should leave off pride, wrath, deceit, and greed. (11, 12)
Possessing the Samitis and being protected by the five Samvaras, a pious monk should live, till he reaches perfection, as a man free from fetters among those bound in fetters (viz. the householders).
