Jaina Sutras Part IJainismAccepted ScripturePrakritShareAcharanga Sutra 4Hermann Jacobi / SBE vol. 22 - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 availableHermann Jacobi / SBE vol. 22LanguageEnglishEspañol‹Acharanga Sutra 1Acharanga Sutra 2Acharanga Sutra 3Acharanga Sutra 4Acharanga Sutra 5Acharanga Sutra 6Acharanga Sutra 7Acharanga Sutra 8Acharanga Sutra 9Acharanga Sutra 10Acharanga Sutra 11Acharanga Sutra 12Acharanga Sutra 13Acharanga Sutra 14Acharanga Sutra 15Acharanga Sutra 16Acharanga Sutra 17Acharanga Sutra 18Acharanga Sutra 19Acharanga Sutra 20Acharanga Sutra 21Kalpa Sutra 1Kalpa Sutra 2Kalpa Sutra 3Kalpa Sutra 4Kalpa Sutra 5›Acharanga Sutra: Fourth Lecture - RighteousnessAcharanga Sutra 4ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter1FOURTH LECTURE, CALLED righteousness. First Lesson. The Arhats and Bhagavats of the past, present, and future, all say thus, speak thus, declare thus, explain thus : all breathing, existing, living, sentient creatures 1 should not be slain, nor treated with violence, nor abused, nor tormented, nor driven away, (i) This is the pure, unchangeable, eternal law, which the clever ones, who understand the world, have declared : among the zealous and the not zealous, among the faithful and the not faithful, among the not cruel and the cruel, among those who have worldly weakness and those who have not, among those who like social bonds and those who do not : ' that is the truth, that is so, that is proclaimed in this (creed).' (2) Having adopted (the law), one should not hide it, nor forsake it. Correctly understanding the law, one should arrive at indifference for the impressions of the senses ^ and 'not act on the motives of the world.' 'He who is not of this mind 3, how should he come to the other*?' 1 Pa«a bhuya ^iva satta. In the sequel we translate these words, all sorts of living beings. 2 Literally, what one sees. ' Who acts not on worldly motives. * Sinfulness. What has been said here, has been seen (by the omniscient ones), heard (by the believers), acknow- ledged (by the faithful), and thoroughly understood by them. 2Those who acquiesce and indulge (in worldly pleasures), are born again and again. * Day and night exerting thyself, steadfast,' always having ready wisdom, perceive that the careless (stand) outside (of salvation) ; if careful, thou wilt always conquer. Thus I say. (3) Second Lesson. There are as many asravas^ as there are parisra- vas, and there are as many parisravas as there are asravas. There are as many anasravas as there are aparisravas, and there are as many aparisravas as there are anasravas. He who well understands these words and regards the world according to the instruction (and understands), that which has been distinctly declared, that ' wise man proclaims (the truth) here to men,' who still belong to the saz/^sara, who are awakened, and have reached discrimina- tion, (i) 'Those also who are afflicted and careless' (will be instructed). I say this as a truth. There is nothing secure from the mouth of death. Those who are led by their desires, who are the tabernacle of fraud, * who seized by Time dwell in the heap (of karman),' are born again and again. [Many who are again and again (immersed) in delusion, (will ^ Asrava is that by means of which karman takes effect upon the soul, parisrava that (nirg-ara, &c.) by which the influence of karman is counteracted. 3Anasrava is that by which asrava is avoided (religious vows), and aparisrava that by which karman is acquired. 38 Afi-ARANGA SUTRA, often renew) their acquaintance with the places of pain ; they experience the pains inherent in re- generation. He who often does cruel acts, often undergoes (punishment in hell, &c.) He who seldom does cruel acts, seldom undergoes (punish- ment).]^ (2) Some say thus, also the wise ones ; the wise ones say thus, also some others ^. Many and several in this world, Brahma^^as or SrsLmajias, raise this dis- cussion : We have seen, heard, acknowledged, thoroughly understood, in the upper, nether, and sidelong directions, and in all ways examined it : all sorts of living beings may be slain, or treated with violence, or abused, or tormented, or driven away. Know about this : there is no wrong in it. (3) That is a doctrine of the unworthy. But those who are teachers, have said : You have wrongly seen, wrongly heard, wrongly acknowledged, wrongly understood, in the upper, nether, and sidelong directions, in all ways wrongly examined it, when you say thus, speak thus, declare thus, explain thus : All sorts of living beings may be slain, or treated with violence, or abused, or tormented, or driven away. Know about this : there is no wrong in it. That is a doctrine of the unworthy. (4) But we say thus, speak thus, declare thus, explain thus : 4^ The passage in brackets is introduced by the words pa/^an- tavam va, ' various reading.' It occurs in all MSS. I have consulted, and is commented upon by the commentaries as belonging to the text. ^ By some is meant the highest class of sages. The meaning is that all professors, high or low, say the same, agree in the doctrine of ahi;//sa. All sorts of living beings should not be slain, nor treated with violence, nor abused, nor tormented, nor driven away. Know about this, there is no wrong in it. This is the doctrine of the teachers. (5) First the persuasion of every one should be ascertained, and then we will ask them severally : Ye professors ! is pain pleasant to you, or unpleasant ? If they give the right answer, reply : For all sorts of living beings pain is unpleasant, disagreeable, and greatly feared. Thus I say. (6) Third Lesson. ' Reflect and observe that whether you go to this world or to that beyond, in the whole world those who are discerning beings, who abstain from cruelty^, relinquish karman. They are flesh-subduing, called duty-knowing, upright men, aware that pain results from actions.' Thus say those who have right intuition, (i) All the professors, conversant with pain, preach renunciation. 5Thus thoroughly knowing karman, observing the commandment, wise, unattached (to the world), recognising thy Self as one^, subdue the body, chastise thyself, weaken thyself: 'just as fire consumes old wood!' Thus with a composed mind, unattached, 'unhesitatingly avoid wrath!' Con- sidering the shortness of life * know pain, or what will come^;' one shall feel the several feelings; and perceive the world suffering under them. (2) ^ Nikkhittada«(/a, literally, those who have laid down the rod. ^ I. e. as separate and different from the world. ^ According to the commentators the present and future pains. 40 A^ARANGA SUTRA. Those who are free from sinful acts are called anldana^ Hence a very wise man should not be inflamed (by wrath). Thus I say. (3) Fourth Lesson. One should mortify (one's flesh) in a low, high, and highest degree, quitting one's former connec- tions, and entering tranquillity. Therefore a hero is careful, a person of pith ^, guarded, endowed (with knowledge, &c.), and always restrained. Difficult to go is the road of the heroes, who go whence there is no return (final liberation). 6Subdue blood and flesh, (i) That man is called a worthy one, a hero, one to be followed, who living in chastity [guarding his eyes] shakes off the aggregate ^, He who desires the current of karman, Is a fool who has not cut off the fetters of, nor conquered the connection with, (the world.) For such as dwell In darkness, and are without knowledge, there is no success in faith. Thus I say. (2) 'Whence should he have it^ who does not get it ^ If we read nivvu^a pavakammehi/zi a«iya«a viyahiya, we have a hemistich of a jloka. ^ Sarae. The commentators translate it with svarata = su + a (a ^ivanamaryadaya) + rata (sa»/yamanush//^ane),for ever delighting in the exercise of control. I think the Sanskrit prototype of sarae is saraka. ^ These words seem to have formed a ^loka, which could easily be restored if we read : purise davie vire ayknigge viyahie I vasitta baw/bhaiera»2si ^e dhuwai samussaya;'^ 11 The aggregate is either that of the constituent parts of the body, i. e. the body itself, or that of karman, i. e. the sum of karman. * Success in faith. early, late, or in the middle of life ? ' But the dis- cerning one is awakened, and ceases to act. See that it is good to be so! 7Cutting off that 'whence bondage, cruel death, and dreadful pain,' ' and the (desire for) external (objects) flow, he who among mortals knows freedom from acts,' ' seeing that acts will bear fruit, the knower of the sacred lore, parts from (karman).' (3) There are those who have established themselves in the truth, who (were, are, or will be) heroes, endowed (with knowledge), always exerting them- selves, full of equanimity \ valuing the world (as it deserves) in the east, west, south, north. We shall tell the knowledge of them who (were, &c.) heroes, endowed (with knowledge), always exerting them- selves, full of equanimity, valuing the world (as it deserves). Is there any worldly weakness in the Seer? There exists none, there is none. Thus I say. (4) End of the Fourth Lecture, called Righteousness. Sa.mg,ha.da.damsino : nirantaradar^ina/^ jubhajubhasya. 42 AiTARANGA SUTRA. ‹Previous chapterAcharanga Sutra 3Next chapterAcharanga Sutra 5›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public-domain 1884 English translation