Sūtrakṛtāṅga
Description of the Wicked
Description of the Wicked
Earth, water, fire, wind; grass, trees, and corn; and the movable beings, (viz.) the oviparous, viviparous, those generated from dirt, and those generated in fluids; At that time, at that period, there was a town of the name Râgagriha: it was rich, happy, thriving, &c.2 Outside of Râgagriha, in a north-eastern E e direction, there was the suburb Nâlandâ; it contained many hundreds of buildings, &c.
These classes (of living beings) have been declared (by the Ginas); know and understand that they (all desire) happiness; by (hurting) these beings (men) do harm to their own souls, and will again and again be born as one of them. In that suburb Nâlandâ there was a householder called Lêpa; he was prosperous, famous; rich in high and large houses, beds, seats, vehicles, and chariots; abounding in riches, gold, and silver; possessed of useful and necessary things; wasting plenty of food and drink; owning many male and female slaves, cows, buffaloes, and sheep; and inferior to nobody.
Every being born high or low in the scale of the living creation, among movable and immovable beings, will meet with its death. Whatever sins the evildoer commits in every birth, for them he must die. This householder Lêpa, a follower of the Sramanas, comprehended (the doctrine of) living beings and things without life, (&c., all as in II, 2, 76, p. 382, down to the end of the paragraph).
In this world or in the next (the sinners suffer themselves what they have inflicted on other beings), a hundred times, or (suffer) other punishment. Living in the Samsâra they ever acquire new Karman, and suffer for their misdeeds. This householder Lêpa possessed, in a north-eastern direction from the suburb Nâlandâ, a bathing-hall, called Seshadravyâ%; it contained many hundreds of pillars, was beautiful, &c. In a north-eastern direction from this bathing-hall Sêshadravyâ, there was a park called Hastiyâma. (Description of the park.)
Some leave their mother and father to live as Sramanas, but they use fire; (the prophet) says: 'People are wicked who kill beings for the sake of their own pleasure.' And there in some house the Venerable Gautama was staying. The venerable (man) was in the garden, and so was Udaka, the son of Pêdhâla, a Nirgrantha and follower of Pârsva, of the Mêdârya Gôtra. He went there where the Venerable Gautama was, and said: 'O long-lived Gautama, I want to ask you about a point (of faith); O long-lived one, please explain it to me so as it has been taught (by the Tirthakara).' And the Venerable Gautama spoke thus to Udaka, the son of Pedhâla: "Well, long-lived one, I shall see about it, when I have heard and understood (your question)." And Udaka, the son of Pêdhâla, spoke thus to the Venerable Gautama:
'O long-lived Gautama, there are Nirgrantha Sramanas, called Kumâraputras, who profess your creed; they make a zealous' householder, a follower of the Sramanas, renounce injury to movable beings except on the order (from an established authority), as the householder caused one of the captured thieves to be set free. Those who make this renunciation, make a bad renunciation; those who cause this renunciation to be made, cause a bad renunciation to be made; in causing another to make this renunciation, they annul their own allegation. Why do I say this? Beings belong to the Circle of Births; though they be (now) immovable beings, they will (some time) become movable ones, or though they be (now) movable beings, they will become immovable ones; when they leave the bodies of immovable beings, they will be born in bodies of movable ones, and when they leave the bodies of movable beings, they will be born in bodies of immovable ones. When they are born in bodies of immovable beings, it is no sin to kill them.
He who lights a fire, kills living beings; he who extinguishes it, kills the fire. Therefore a wise man who well considers the Law, should light no jumping (or flying) insects fall in (the fire); dirtborn vermin (and beings) living in wood: all these beings are burned by lighting a fire. '(But if they make him renounce) injury to creatures which are, for the time being, movable beings, except on the order (from an established authority)-as the householder caused one of the captured thieves to be set free (if they take this vow), those who make this renunciation, make a good renunciation; those who cause this renunciation to be made, cause a good renunciation to be made; in causing another to make this renunciation, they do not annul their own allegation. Though in this way' a correct expression is found, some (monks) from anger or greed cause the householder to make the renunciation (without the necessary restriction). Is not this our interpretation right? O long-lived Gautama, do you approve of it?'
Sprouts are beings possessed of natural development, their bodies (require) nourishment, and all have their individual life. Reckless men who cut them down out of regard for their own pleasure, destroy many living beings. And Gautama spoke thus to Udaka, the son of Pêdhâla: "O long-lived Udaka, we certainly do not approve of it. The Sramanas or Brâhmanas who say thus, speak thus, declare thus, and explain thus, do not speak as Sramanas or Nirgranthas, they speak noxious speech. They mislead laymen. They make void all vows undertaken for sparing particular living beings. Why do I say this? Beings belong to the Circle of Births; though they be (now) immovable beings, they will (some time) become movable ones, (&c., all as in § 6, down to) when they leave the bodies of movable beings, they will be born in the bodies of immovable ones. When they are born in the bodies of movable beings, it is a sin to kill them."
By destroying seeds, when young or grown up, a careless man does harm to his own soul. (The prophet) says: 'People are wicked who destroy seeds for the sake of their own pleasure.'
Men die as embryos, or as babies who do not yet talk, or who do so already; other men, as boys wearing five tufts of hair, or as youths, or in middle age at the expiration of their life all leave the body and die. And Udaka, the son of Pedhâla, spoke thus: 'Which beings do you call movable beings? movable ones or others?' And Gautama spoke thus to Udaka, the son of Pedhala: "O long-lived Udaka, what you call beings which are, for the time being, movable ones, we call movable beings; and what we call movable beings, you call beings which are, for the time being, movable ones. Both expressions are equal, and mean the same thing. O long-lived one, why do you think it more correct to say: beings which are, for the time being, movable ones; and why do you think it incorrect to say: movable beings, that you censure the one expression, and applaud the other? This your interpretation is not men there are who say: we cannot, submitting to the tonsure, renounce the life of a householder and enter the monastic state, but we shall gradually conform to the Gôtra (i. e. community of the monks). Accordingly they make known the limits, fix the limits, determine the limits (beyond which they will not go in the enjoyment of worldly goods); and renounce injury to movable beings, except on the order (of an established authority)-as the householder caused one of the captured thieves to be set free. And this turns out to their benefit.
Wake up, men! If we look at the dangers (to which he is exposed) a fool has not much chance to obtain human birth; always suffering like men in fever, people will go to utter misery. 'Movable beings are called so, when they get this character through the taking effect of the Karman relating to movable beings. But when their duration of life as movable beings comes to its close, the (soul), embodied in a movable being, leaves its life as such and becomes embodied in an immovable being. Immovable beings are called so, when they get this character through the taking effect of the Karman relating to immovable beings. But when their duration of life as an immovable being comes to its close, the (soul), embodied in an immovable being, leaves its life as such and takes again a new form of existence; they are (then) called animated beings, (animals) of large bodies, or of long life.
Some say that perfection is reached by abstaining from the seasoner of food (viz. salt), others by the use of cold water (i.e. by ablutions), others again by (tending) a fire And Udaka, the son of Pêdhâla, spoke thus to the Venerable Gautama: 'Is there not a chance, that a follower of the Sramanas, though he has renounced slaughter of but one class of living beings, ceases altogether to injure any? Why do ones. I say this? Beings belong to the Circle of Births, though they be (now) immovable beings, they will (some time) become movable ones, and though they be movable beings, they will become immovable When they leave the bodies of immovable beings, all are born in bodies of movable ones, and when they leave the bodies of movable beings, all will be born in bodies of immovable ones. When they are born in bodies of immovable beings, they may be killed''
Perfection is not reached by bathing in the morning, nor by abstention from acids and salt; but by drinking liquor or eating meat or garlic men obtain another state of existence (than perfection).
Those who, touching water in the morning and evening, contend that perfection is obtained through water (are easily refuted). For if perfection could be obtained by contact with water, many beings living in water must have reached perfection:
Fishes, tortoises, aquatic snakes, cormorants, otters, and demons living in water. The clever ones declare those to be wrong who maintain that perfection may be obtained through water. And the Venerable Gautama spoke thus to Udaka, the son of Pêdhâla: "O long-lived one, we do not admit what you say; viz. that there is a chance that a follower of the Sramanas should cease to do injury to any kind of living beings. Why do we say this? Beings belong to the Circle of Births, (&c., all as above, down to) when they are born in bodies of movable beings, it is a sin to kill them. They are called animated beings, (animals) of large bodies, or of long life. There are always a great many animate beings, (the slaughter of) which a follower of the Sramanas must renounce, there are none, (the slaughter of) which he need not renounce. If he ceases, or has done with, or has given up (injuring) the large class of movable beings, his renunciation is good. What you or somebody else says, that there is a chance of a layman's ceasing to do an injury altogether, by renouncing slaughter of one kind of beings; this interpretation of yours is not a question to the Nirgranthas: O long-lived ones, (suppose) there be some men who have made the following declaration: 'I shall not inflict punishment on those who, submitting to the tonsure, renounce the life of a householder and enter the monastic state; but I shall inflict punishment on those who lead a domestic life.' Some Sramana, who for four or five years, or for six or ten years-the period may be shorter or longer-has wandered about in the land, returns to domestic life. Now answer me: does the man break his word when he puts to death this (renegade) householder?" 'Certainly not!' "It is just the same with a follower of the Sramanas, who has renounced injury to movable beings, but not to immovable ones. If he kills immovable beings, he does not transgress his vow. This you acknowledge, O Nirgranthas, this you must acknow-"I put a question to the Nirgranthas. O long-lived Nirgranthas, (suppose) there be householders or sons of householders, born in respectable families, who come to you for instruction in the Law. Ought they to be instructed in the Law?" 'Yes, they should.' When they have learned and understood this Law, will they say: this creed of the Nirgranthas is true, supreme, excellent, full of virtues, right, pure, it removes doubts, it is the road to perfection, liberation, Nirvâna; it is free from error and doubts, it is the road of those who are free from all misery; those who adopt it will reach perfection, (&c., all down to) put an end to all misery; exerting ourselves we shall control ourselves with regard to all kinds of living beings.- Will they speak thus?" 'Yes.' "Should such men be admitted to the order?" "Yes, they should.' "Should such men be instructed in the discipline and kept to attend to religious instruction?" "Yes, they should.' "Do they renounce injury to every living being?" "Yes, they do.' "Now (suppose) one of these men who lead such a life, after wandering about in the land for four or five years, or for six or ten years-the period may be shorter or longer-returns to domestic life. Will this man (still) abstain from doing injury to every living being?” 'No.' “The same man' who at first (as a householder) had not renounced injury to every living being, who afterwards has renounced, and who now does not renounce injury to every living being, did at first not control himself, did so afterwards, and does not so now. As long as he does not control himself, he does not renounce injury to every living being. This you acknowledge, O Nirgranthas, this you must acknowledge!"
If water did wash off the impure Karman, it must take off merit too. But this (assertion of the heretics) has no foundation but their wish. As a blind man follows a guide (and misses his goal), so a fool (who makes ablutions, &c. as a means of reaching Môksha) kills living beings. The Venerable One gave (another) illustration: "I put a question to the Nirgranthas. O long-lived Nirgranthas, (suppose) there be monks or nuns of other sects, who come to you for instruction in the Law, (all as before, down to) attend to religious instruction.” 'Yes, they should.' 'Is it lawful to eat with such men? 'Yes, it is.' "Now (suppose) some of these people who lead such a life, (&c., all as before, down to) return to domestic life. Is it lawful to eat with them then?" 'No, it is not. "The same man with whom to eat was not lawful at first, was lawful afterwards, and is not lawful now, was no Sramana at first, was a Sramana afterwards, and is no Sramana now. It is not lawful for Nirgrantha Sramanas to eat together with him. This you acknowledge, O Nirgranthas; this you must acknowledge!"
If water did wash off the sins of him who committed them, some would have obtained perfection who killed water-beings. Therefore he is wrong who maintains the attainment of perfection through water. And the Venerable One spoke thus: "There are some followers of the Sramanas, who have made this declaration we cannot, submitting to the tonsure, renounce the life of a householder and enter the monastic state, but we shall strictly observe the Pôsaha on the fourteenth and the eighth days of each fortnight, (on the new-moon, and) full-moon days, we renounce gross ill-usage of living beings, grossly lying speech, gross taking of things not given, (unlawful) sexual intercourse, (unlimited) appropriation of property; we shall set limits to our desires in the two forms and in the three ways. They will also make the following renunciation: 'neither do nor cause anything (sinful) to be done for my sake.' Having (on Pôsaha-days) abstained from eating, drinking, bathing, and using beds or chairs, may they, on their decease, be said to make a (righteous) end of their life?" 'Certainly, they do make such an end of their life.' "They are called animated beings, (&c., all as in § 13, down to) this interpretation of yours is not right."
Those who, lighting fire in the morning and evening, contend that perfection is obtained through fire (are easily refuted). For if thereby perfection could be obtained, mechanics also, who use fire, would be liberated. The Venerable One spoke thus: "There are some followers of the Sramanas, who have made this declaration we cannot, submitting to the tonsure, renounce the life of a householder and enter the monastic state; we also cannot strictly observe the Pôsaha on the fourteenth and the eighth days of each fortnight, (on the days of new-moon) and full-moon; but while we are preparing ourselves for death by fasting, we shall abstain from food and drink without longing for the end; we shall renounce all ill-usage of living beings, all lying speech, all taking of things not given, all sexual intercourse, all property, (saying): 'neither do nor cause anything (sinful) to be done for my sake.' (All the rest as in the preceding paragraph.)”
And the Venerable One spoke thus: "There are some men of great desires, great undertakings, &c. 2, who do not abstain from all ill-usage of living beings, (&c., down to) from all property. During the whole time, from their taking the vows of a follower of the Sramanas till their death, they abstain from injury to living beings. Then they die; in their next existence they experience their Karman, and receive an evil lot. (The rest as before.)”
Perfection cannot be established by such gratuitous assertions; those who have not learned the truth will come to harm. A wise man, who knows the truth, should know and understand that all beings desire suffer, and tremble. Considering this a wise monk who has ceased to sin, and guards his own self, should abstain from violence with regard to movable and (immovable) beings. And the Venerable One spoke thus: "There are some men of no desires, no undertakings, who abstain from all ill-usage of living beings, (&c., down to) from all property. During the whole time, from their taking the vows of a follower of the Sramanas till their death, they abstain from injury to living beings. Then they die; in their next existence they experience their Karman, and receive a happy lot. (The rest as before.)”
He who keeps a store of rightly-obtained food and eats it; he who makes ablutions with pure water, contracting his limbs; he who washes and adorns his clothes, is far from being a naked monk. And the Venerable One spoke thus: "There are some men of few desires, few undertakings, who abstain from ill-usage of one sort of living beings, (&c., down to) from one sort of property. During the whole time, (&c., the rest as in the last paragraph)."
A wise man, seeing that it is sinful (to use) water, should live of pure water, till he is liberated from the Samsâra; not eating seeds and bulbs, he abstains from bathing, &c., and from women. And the Venerable One spoke thus: "There are some men who live in woods, in huts, near villages, or practise some secret rites, who are not well controlled, do not well abstain (from slaying) all sorts of living beings. They employ speech that is true and untrue at the same time: do not beat me, beat others, (&c., all as in II, 2, 21, down to) having died at their allotted time, they are born in some places inhabited by Asuras' and evil-doers. And when they are released therefrom, they will be born deaf and dumb or blind. They are called animated beings, (&c., the rest as in § 13)."
He who, after having left father, mother, house, sons, cattle, and wealth, visits houses where he gets nice food, is far from being a Sramana. And the Venerable One spoke thus: "There are some beings of a long life, which a follower of the Sramanas abstains from injuring through life. They die after him. They are called animated beings, (&c., the rest as in § 13)."
He who visits houses where he gets nice food, who professes the Law, desirous only of filling his belly, and brags (of himself) for the sake of food, is not equal to the hundredth part of an Arya.
A miserable man, who becomes a monk in order to get food from others, and a flatterer by the desire of filling his belly, will, in no remote future, come to harm, even as a boar greedy of wild rice.
The servile man says pleasing things for the sake of food, drink, and other things: but wrong belief and bad conduct are worthless like chaff. (The two next paragraphs treat in exactly the same way of beings of an equally long life, which die simultaneously with him, and of beings of a short life, which die before him.) (24, 25) And the Venerable One spoke thus: "There are some followers of the Sramanas, who have made this declaration: we are not able to strictly observe the Pôsaha-days, but we are able, when preparing ourselves for death by fasting, to abstain from food and drink without longing for the end. The vow of such a man is the Sâmâyika Dêsâvakâsika: (he declares) in the morning: (I shall travel) only thus or thus far in an eastern, western, southern, northern direction. He renounces injury to all beings I shall cause peace and security to all sorts of living beings. "Within those (limits) the movable living beings, which the follower of the Sramanas abstains from injuring till his death, will leave their life, and will then be born, within the same limits, as movable living beings, which the follower of the Sramanas abstains from injuring till his death. With regard to them the follower of the Sramanas has made a good renunciation. They are called animated beings, (&c., the rest as before). "The movable beings within those limits, &c., will, after their death, be born within the same limits as immovable beings, from injuring which without a purpose the follower of the Sramanas abstains till death, but not with a purpose', (&c., the rest as after their death, be born, beyond those limits, as movable or immovable beings, (&c., the rest as will, after their death, be born, within the same limits, as movable beings, (&c., the rest as bewill, after their death, be born, within the same limits, as immovable beings, (&c., the rest as before). (30) will, after their death, be born, beyond those limits, as immovable beings, (&c., the rest as before). (31) "The movable and immovable beings beyond those limits, &c., will, after their death, be born, within those limits, as movable beings, (&c., the rest as limits, &c., will, after their death, be born, within those limits, as immovable beings, (&c., the rest as limits, &c., will, after their death, be born, beyond down to § 34. those limits, as movable and immovable beings, (&c. the rest as before)." (34) The Venerable One spoke thus: It has never happened, it does not happen, nor will it ever happen, that all movable beings will die out and become immovable ones, nor that all immovable beings die out and become movable ones. Since movable and immovable beings never die out, there is no chance, as you or somebody else say, that a layman ceases to do injury altogether by renouncing slaughter of one kind of beings; this interpretation of yours is not right." (35) And the Venerable One spoke thus: If (a man) who has been instructed in right knowledge, faith, and conduct for the avoidance of sins, blames a (righteous) Sramana or Brâhmana though he is well disposed towards them, he effects the loss of his merit for another world; but if he does not blame them, he heightens the purity of his merit for another world." On this Udaka, the son of Pêdhâla, took no further notice of the Venerable Gautama and was about to return in the direction in which he had lived Udaka, he who has learned from a Sramana or Brahmana whomsoever even one noble religious truth, and considers himself thereby furthered with regard to his peace and happiness, will respect, acknowledge, praise, salute, honour, reverence, and worship him even as a blessed and holy deity or sacred shrine." (37) Then Udaka, the son of Pêdhâla, spoke thus to the Venerable Gautama: 'As I had not before known, heard, understood, and comprehended these words, I did not believe in the meaning (of your words), which I had never perceived nor heard nor understood nor appreciated, and which were never explained nor defined nor delivered nor made clear to me, nor pondered over by me. But now, Reverend Sir, as I do know, &c., these words which I have perceived, heard, &c., I believe, accept, and approve of their meaning. It is just as you say!' (38) Then the Venerable Gautama spoke thus to Udaka, the son of Pêdhâla: "Believe it, sir; accept it, sir; approve of it, sir; it is just as we have said." Then Udaka, the son of Pêdhâla, spoke thus to the Venerable Gautama: 'I desire, Reverend Sir, in your presence to pass from the creed which enjoins four vows', to the creed which enjoins the five great vows and the Pratikramana.' (39) Then the Venerable Gautama went with Udaka, the son of Pêdhâla, to the Venerable Ascetic Mahâvira. Then Udaka, the son of Pêdhâla, solemnly circumambulated the Venerable Ascetic Mahâvîra three times from the left to the right, and having done so he praised and worshipped him, and then he spoke thus: 'I desire, Reverend Sir, in your presence to pass from the creed which enjoins four vows, to the creed which enjoins the five great vows and the Pratikramana. May it so please you, beloved of the gods, do not deny me!' Then, in the presence of the Venerable Ascetic Mahâvira, Udaka, the son of Pêdhâla, passed from the creed which enjoins four vows, to the creed which enjoins the five great vows and the Pratikramana. (40) Thus I say. Ff
He should beg where he is unknown, and maintain himself by it; he should not seek fame and respect by his austerities; he should not desire (pleasant) sounds and colours, but conquer his longing for all kinds of pleasures.
A monk should avoid every attachment and bear every pain, be full (of wisdom), not greedy, wander about homeless, give assurance of safety (to all beings), and be free from passions.
(In order to be able) to practise control a monk should eat; he should desire to get rid of sin; if he Âi = âdi. suffers pain, he should have recourse to control, and subdue the foe at the head of the battle, as it were. Though beaten he should be like a plank; he should wait for the advent of death; having annihilated his Karman he should not again mix with the world, but be rather like a car whose axle is