Sūtrakṛtāṅga 0.11

The Path

What is the Path that has been preached by the wise Brahmana (i. e. Mahâvira), having correctly entered upon which path a man crosses the flood (of Samsâra) which is difficult to pass?

O monk and great sage, tell us this best path which leads to liberation from all misery, as you know it! Tell us how we should describe that path, if somebody, a god or a man, should ask us about tell them the truth about the path. Listen to Kasyapa, following which some men from this earth Or, the fetter of sin. have formerly passed over (the Samsâra) like traders over the ocean, pass over it (even now), and will pass over it in future; (this path which) I have learned, I shall explain in due order; men, listen to me! (5, 6) Earth-lives are individual beings, so are water-lives, fire-lives, and wind-lives; grass, trees, corn; (7) And the remaining, (viz.) the movable beings; thus are enumerated the six classes of living beings; these are all the living beings, there are no more philosophical research. All beings hate pains; therefore one should not kill them. (9) 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. (10) He should cease to injure living beings whether they move or not, on high, below, and on earth. For this has been called the Nirvâna, which consists in peace. (11) Master (of his senses) and avoiding wrong, he should do no harm to anybody, neither by thoughts, nor words, nor acts. (12) A wise man who restrains his senses and possesses great knowledge, should accept such things as are freely given him, being always circumspect with regard to the accepting of alms, and abstaining from what he is forbidden to accept. (13) A true monk should not accept such food and drink as has been especially prepared for him along with slaughter of living beings. (14) He should not partake of a meal which contains but a particle of forbidden food: this is the Law of him who is rich in control. Whatever (food a monk) suspects (to be impure), he may not senses, should never assent to anybody killing beings. In towns and villages cases (will occur, which place) the faithful (in a dilemma). (16) Hearing the talk of people, one should not say, 'this is a good action,' nor 'this is a bad action.' For there is an objection (to either he ought to save those beings, whether they move or not, which are killed there for the sake of making a gift. (18) Nor should he say that it is not meritorious, because he would then prevent those for whose sake the food and drink in question is prepared, to get their due. (19) Those who praise the gift, are accessory to the killing of beings; those who forbid it, deprive (others) of the means of subsistence. (20) Those, however, who give neither answer, viz. that it is meritorious, or is not so, do not expose themselves to guilt, and will reach Beatitude'. (21) Knowing that Beatitude is the best thing as the moon is among the stars, a sage always restrained and subduing his senses brings about Beatitude. (22) A pious man shows an island to the beings which are carried away (by the flood of the Samsâra) and suffer for their deeds. This place of safety has been proclaimed (by the Tirthakaras). (23) He who guards his soul, subdues his senses, puts a stop to the current (of the Samsâra), and is free from Asravas, is (entitled to) expound the pure, complete, unparalleled Law. (24) Those who do not know this (Law), are not awakened, though they fancy themselves awakened; believing themselves awakened, they are beyond the boundary of right faith. (25) Eating seeds and drinking cold water and what has been especially prepared for them, they enter upon meditation, but are ignorant of the truth, and do not possess carefulness. (26) As dhankas, herons, ospreys, cormorants, and pheasants meditate upon capturing fish, (which is) a sinful and very low meditation, so some heretical, unworthy Sramanas contemplate the pursuit of pleasures; (they are) sinful and very low like herons. (27, 28) Here some weak-minded persons, abusing the pure path, enter upon a wrong path. They thereby will go to misery and destruction. (29) 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, having got into the full current (of the Samsâra), will incur great danger. (30, 31) But knowing this Law which has been proclaimed by the Kâsyapa, (a monk) crosses the dreadful current (of the Samsâra), and wanders about intent on the benefit of his soul. (32) Indifferent to worldly objects, a man should wander about treating all creatures in the world so as he himself would be treated. (33) A wise man knowing (and renouncing) excessive pride and deceit, (in short) giving up all (causes of worldly existence), brings about his Liberation. (34) He acquires good qualities, and leaves off bad qualities; a monk, who vigorously practises austerities, avoids anger and pride. (35) The Buddhas that were, and the Buddhas that will be, they (as it were) have Peace as their foundation, even as all things have the earth for their has gained that (foundation), he will not be overpowered by them as a mountain by the storm. (37) A restrained, very learned, and wise (monk) should accept such alms as are freely given him, being free from passions and waiting for his end. This is the doctrine of the Kêvalin. (38) Thus I say.

CALLED THE CREED There are four (heretical) creeds which the disputants severally uphold:. the Kriyâvâda,. the Akriyâvâda,. the Vinayavâda, and 4. the Agñâclever, reason incoherently, and do not get beyond the confusion of their ideas. Ignorant (teachers) speak to ignorant (pupils), and without reflection they speak untruth. (2) Believing truth to be untruth, and calling a bad man good, the various upholders of Vinaya, asked about it, explain their tenet '.

Without perceiving the truth they speak thus: this object (viz. Môksha) is realised by us thus (viz. by Vinaya). The Akriyâvâdins who deny Karman, do not admit that the action (of the soul is transmitted to) the future moments.

They become involved in contradiction in their own assertions; they falter in their speech and are unable to repeat what is said to them. This (their opinion) has a valiant counter-opinion, this (our opinion) has no valiant counter-opinion; and Karman has six sources.

The Akriyâvâdins who do not understand the truth, bring forward various opinions; many men believing in them will whirl round in the endless Circle of Births.

'There rises no sun, nor does it set; there waxes no moon, nor does it wane; there are no rivers running, nor any winds blowing; the whole world is ascertained to be unreal.'

As a blind man, though he have a light, does not see colours, &c., because he is deprived of his eye(sight), so the Akriyâvâdin, having a perverted intellect, does not recognise the action (of the soul) though it does exist.

Many men in this world who have studied astrology, the art of interpreting dreams, divination from diagrams, augury, divination from bodily marks, and from portents, and the eight branches (of divination from omens), know the future.

(The opponents say that) some forecasts are true, and the prophecies of others prove wrong; therefore they do not study those sciences, but they profess to know the world, fools though they be.

The (Kriyâvâdins) Sramanas and Brâhmanas understanding the world (according to their lights), speak thus: misery is produced by one's own works, not by those of somebody else (viz. fate, creator, &c.). But right knowledge and conduct lead to liberation.

The (Tirthakaras), being (as it were) the eyes of the world and its leaders, teach the path which is salutary to men; they have declared that the world is eternal inasmuch as creatures are (for ever) living in it, O ye men!

The Râkshasas and the dwellers in Yama's world, the troops' of Asuras and Gandharvas, and the spirits that walk the air, and individual beings: they will all be born again and again.

(The Samsâra) which is compared to the boundless flood of water, know it to be impassable and of very long duration on account of repeated births. Men therein, seduced by their senses and by women, are born again and again both (as movable and immovable beings).

The sinners cannot annihilate their works by new works; the pious annihilate their works by abstention from works; the wise and happy men who got rid of the effects of greed, do not commit sins.

They know the past, present, and future ways of the world; they are leaders of other men, but follow no leader; they are awakened, and put an end to mundane existence.

Averse to injury of living beings, they do not act, nor cause others to act. Always restraining themselves, those pious men practise control, and some become heroes through their knowledge.

He regards small beings and large beings, the whole world as equal to himself; he comprehends the immense world, and being awakened he controls himself among the careless.

Those who have learned (the truth) by themselves or from others, are able (to save) themselves and others. One should always honour a man, who is like a light and makes manifest the Law after having well considered it.

He who knows himself and the world; who knows where (the creatures) go, and whence they will not return; who knows what is eternal, and what is transient; birth and death, and the future existences of men;

He who knows the tortures of beings below (i. e. in hell); who knows the influx of sin and its stoppage who knows misery and its annihilation,- he is entitled to expound the Kriyâvâda,

Being not attached to sounds and colours, indifferent to tastes and smells, not desiring life nor death, guarded by control, and exempt from the Circle (of Births). Thus I say.