Sutrakritanga 2 · Jaina Sutras – Jacobi · Verses Across
Jainism · Agamas
Sutrakritanga 2Book I, Lecture 2: The Destruction of Karman
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Jainism · Agamas
Sutrakritanga 2
Book I, Lecture 2: The Destruction of Karman
JacobiEnglish
(Rishabha said to his sons):
Acquire perfect knowledge of the Law! why do you not study it? It is difficult to obtain instruction in it after this life. The days (that are gone by) will never return, nor is it easy a second time to obtain human birth.
See, young and old men, even children in the mother's womb die. As a hawk catches a quail, so (life) will end when its time is spent.
(A man) may suffer for the sake of his parents; he will not easily obtain happiness after this life. A pious man should consider these causes of danger and cease to act.
For in this world living beings suffer individually for their deeds; for the deed they have done themselves, they obtain (punishment), and will not get over it before they have felt it.
Even gods, Gandharvas, Rakshasas, and Asuras; animals who live on earth, and snakes; kings, common people, merchants, and Brahmanas: they all must leave their rank and suffer.
Notwithstanding their pleasures and relations, all men must suffer in due time the fruit of their works; as a cocoa-nut detaching itself from its stalk (falls down), so (life) will end when its time is spent.
Even a very learned or virtuous man, or a Brahmana or an ascetic, will be severely punished for his deed when he is given to actions of deceit.
See, those (heretics) who search for the knowledge of truth, but who do not cross the Samsara, talk only about the highest good (without reaching it).
How will you understand what is near you and what is beyond? In the meanwhile you suffer for your deeds.
He who walks about naked and lean, he who eats only once after a month, if he is filled with deceit, will be born an endless number of times.
Man, cease from sins! For the life of men will come to an end. Men who are drowned (in lust, as it were), and addicted to pleasure will, for want of control, be deluded.
Exert and control yourself! For it is not easy to walk on ways where there are minutely small animals. Follow the commandments which the Arhats have well proclaimed.
Heroes (of faith) who desist (from sins) and exert themselves aright, who subdue wrath, fear, &c., will never kill living beings; they desist from sins and are entirely happy.
It is not myself alone who suffers, all creatures in the world suffer; this a wise man should consider, and he should patiently bear (such calamities) as befall him, without giving way to his passions.
As a wall covered with a plastering (of dried cowdung) is by a shock made thin, so (a monk) should make his body lean by fasting, &c. He should
abstain from slaughter of living beings. This is the Law proclaimed by the Sage.
As a bird covered with dust removes the grey powder by shaking itself, so a worthy and austere Brahmana, who does penance, annihilates his Karman.
Young and old people claim a houseless Sramana as their own, though he begs according to the Law, observes the rules of conduct, and performs austerities. People will even cry themselves hoarse, but they will not captivate him.
Whatever they will do to move his pity, however they will cry about their son, they will not captivate a worthy and virtuous monk or make him return to domestic life.
Though they tempt him with pleasures, and though they should bind him and carry him home, if he does not care for a (worldly) life, they will not captivate him or make him return to domestic life.
His father and mother, his children and wife who claim him, will admonish him: 'See, you are our supporter; care not for the next world in order to support us.'
Some people are (foolishly) attached to others, and are thereby deluded; the unrighteous make them adopt unrighteousness, and they exult in their wickedness.
Therefore a worthy and wise man should be
careful, ceasing from sin and being entirely happy. The virtuous heroes of faith (have chosen) the great road, the right and certain path to perfection.
He who has entered the road leading to the destruction (of Karman), who controls his mind, speech, and body, who has given up his possessions and relations and all undertakings, should walk about subduing his senses.
A sage thinks that he should leave off sins just as (a snake) leaves its slough; and he is not proud of his Gotra and other advantages; or is there any use in blaming others?
A man who insults another will long whirl in the Circle of Births; to blame others is not good. Considering this a sage is not conceited.
He who is independent, and he who is the servant of a servant, if they but observe the Vow of Silence, they have no reason to be ashamed; (therefore a monk) should behave equally towards all.
Indifferent and pure with regard to every kind of control, a Sramana should walk about; he who entertains pure thoughts during his whole life, dies as a worthy and wise man.
The sage who sees the far-off (goal, viz. liberation), past and future things, will practise indifference, though he suffer corporal punishment and be beaten.
Possessing perfect wisdom, a sage always vanquishes (his passions); he correctly expounds the Law; he never neglects even the smallest (duty); he is neither angry nor proud.
A man who controls himself according to (the Law), which is praised by many people, and is not bound by any worldly ties, who is always pure like a lake, proclaims the Law of Kasyapa.
Seeing that numerous living beings lead an individual life, and that every one feels (pleasure and pain) just as the others, a wise man who observes the Vow of Silence, leaves off (injuring them).
A sage has completely mastered the Law, and has ceased to do actions; but the selfish grieve, they will not (thereby) recover their (lost) property.
Know that it (viz. property) entails pains in this world, and very great pains in the next. Who will lead a domestic life when he knows that everything must perish? (to)
One should know (and renounce) the great attachment (to the world), and respect and honours on earth; (for conceit) is a very thin thorn difficult to pull out. A wise man, therefore, should abandon worldliness.
A monk should perform postures (as Kayotsarga, &c.) alone on his seat, and alone on his couch he should meditate; excelling in the performance of austerities, guarded in words, and restrained in thoughts.
An ascetic does not shut the door of a deserted house (where he puts up), nor does he open it; when asked he returns no (rude) answer; he cuts no grass, nor does he strew it (on the ground for a couch).
Where (he is) at sunset, there he calmly (performs his duties); a sage bears pleasant and unpleasant things, be there insects, or wild beasts, or snakes.
He bears the three kinds of calamities arising from beasts, men, and gods. A great sage will not be seized with a shivering, &c., when he stays in a deserted house.
He should not fear for his life, nor should he desire to be praised (for his courage). Fearful things will frighten the mind of a monk who stays in a deserted house.
They say that he who is very well disciplined, who protects others, who lives in a place removed from other people, who is not frightened by dangers, possesses right conduct, &c.
A monk who uses warm or hot water, who follows the Law, and loathes (wrong conduct), will by intercourse with bad kings become deficient in his devotion though he be ever so virtuous.
When a monk quarrels and uses very bad language, he will suffer great spiritual loss; therefore a wise man should not quarrel.
He who abstains from cold water, who plans (or undertakes) nothing, and has ceased from even the smallest actions, who does not eat food out of the dish of a householder, possesses right conduct, &c.
Though life cannot be prolonged, as the saying is, still foolish people sin recklessly; a foolish man is filled to the brim (as it were) with sins. Considering this a sage is not conceited.
By self-invented rites common people seek holiness, they are full of deceit and shrouded (as it were) in delusion. But a monk is holy through his innocence, he allows no troubles to influence his words, (thoughts, and acts).
As a clever gambler, playing at dice, is not vanquished, since he casts the Krita, but not Kali, nor Treta, nor Dvapara;
So adopt for your welfare the best and highest Law which has been proclaimed in this world by the Saviour, as the clever (gambler casts) the Krita, and avoids the other casts.
I have heard that sensual pleasures are said to have the strongest hold on men; but those who abstain from them follow the Law of Kasyapa.
Those who follow the Law that has been proclaimed by Gnatrika, the great seer, are virtuous and righteous; they confirm each other in the Law.
Take no heed of the seductive (pleasures), endeavour to shake off delusion. Those who are not subdued by the wicked (pleasures), know meditation to be their duty.
A monk should not tell stories, nor ask idle questions, nor gossip. But, knowing the highest Law, he should perform his religious duties, and regard nothing his own.
A monk should not indulge deceit, greed, pride, and wrath. Those are virtuous who have arrived at the right understanding of these passions, and who have well practised control.
(A monk) should be free from attachment, wise, controlling himself, seeking the Law, earnest in the performance of austerities, and subduing his senses. It is difficult to obtain the soul's benefit.
Right conduct, &c., which has been taught by the Gnatrika, the sage who knew everything in the whole world, has either not been learned or not been truly practised (by creatures now in distress).
Many men who thought this Law to be the highest good and conducive to their spiritual welfare, obeyed their preceptors, ceased from works, and have crossed the great flood (of worldly existence).
Thus I say.
If a monk who abstains from actions, suffers pain (for acts done) through ignorance, that Karman will
be annihilated through control. The wise reach (perfection) getting rid of death.
Those who resist the seductions are placed on a line with those who have crossed the Samsara. Therefore look up (at beatitude as the end in view). Those (virtuous men) regard pleasures as equal to diseases.
Men of princely rank wear precious things imported by merchants; likened (to these precious things) are the excellent great vows together with (the prohibition of) eating at night.
Pleasure-seeking men who are greedy and are absorbed by amusements, are reckless and like the wretched; they do not know that meditation (has been enjoined as) a duty.
As a bullock which is hurt and urged on by the driver becomes weak, and at last, when its strength is exhausted and it is unable to move, sinks down;
So he who knows the pursuit of pleasures, must sooner or later give up their enjoyment (lest they drag him down). He who is still surrounded by pleasant things, should not love pleasures, whether he obtains them, or for some reason or other does not obtain them.
Lest the lot of the wicked should fall to you, escape (the influence of the senses), and discipline yourself! The wicked will much and strongly grieve, groan, and wail.
See, life in this world (is transient); though your life lasts a hundred years, you die as a short-lived man; mind that (your) years swiftly pass. Nevertheless greedy men are attached to pleasures.
Those who engage in undertakings, who work the perdition of their souls, and who kill (living beings), will go to the world of the wicked, to the abode of the Asuras for a long time (to dwell there).
Though life cannot be prolonged, as the saying is, still foolish people sin recklessly (thinking): 'We are only concerned with the present time; who has seen the next world and returned thence?'
Believe in the words of him who sees (everything), you who are blind, as it were, you whose sight is blinded, ah, whose sight is obstructed by your works which result in delusion!
The unhappy again and again suffer from delusion; therefore have done with praise and honours! A wise ascetic should consider that living beings are like himself (as regards love of life, aversion to pain, &c.).
The man also who still lives in the house, should, in accordance with his creed, be merciful to living beings; we are bidden to be fair and equal with all; (thereby even a householder) goes to the world of the gods.
Being instructed in the creed of the Lord, exert yourself in the truth (i.e. in control)! A monk who has thoroughly subdued his selfishness should collect pure alms.
Knowing the truth, one should live up to it,
seeking the Law, earnest in the performance of austerities, possessing the Guptis, being accomplished, one should always exert oneself, intent on the soul's benefit, and desiring the highest good (viz. liberation).
The fool thinks that his wealth, cattle, and relations will save him; they him, or he them. But they are no help, no protection.
When calamity befalls him, or the end of his life draws near, he must go and come alone; the wise believe that there is nothing to protect him.
All living beings owe their present form of existence to their own Karman; timid, wicked, suffering latent misery, they err about (in the Circle of Births), subject to birth, old age, and death.
He should know that the present time is the best opportunity to mend, and that an awakening is difficult to obtain. A wise man should be aware of this. The (first) Gina has said this, and so the remaining ones (will) say it.
O ye monks, the virtuous (Ginas) that have been and will be, the followers of the Law of Kasyapa, they all have commended these virtues.
Do not kill living beings in the threefold way, being intent on your spiritual welfare and abstaining from sins. In this way numberless men have reached
perfection, and others, who live now, and who are to come, (will reach it).
Thus spoke the Arhat Gnatriputra, the reverend, famous native of Vaisali, who possessed the highest knowledge and the highest faith, who possessed (simultaneously) the highest knowledge and faith.
