Uttarādhyayana Sūtra 2

On Troubles

O long-lived (Gambûsvâmin)! I (Sudharman) have heard the following Discourse from the Venerable (Mahâvira): Here, forsooth, the Venerable Ascetic Mahâvira of the Kâsyapa Gôtra has declared twenty-two troubles which a monk must learn and know, bear and conquer, in order not to be vanquished by them when he lives the life of a wandering mendicant. These, then, are the twenty-two troubles declared by the Venerable Ascetic Mahâvira, which a monk must learn and know, bear and conquer, in order not to be vanquished by them when he lives the life of a wandering mendicant: 1. digañkha (gugupsâ)-parisahâ, hunger; 2. pivâsâ (pipâsâ)-p., thirst; 3. siya (sita)-p., cold; 4. usina (ushna)-p., heat; 5. damsamasaya (damsamasaka)-p., gad-flies, and gnats; 6. akêla-p., nakedness; 7. arati-p., to be discontented with the objects of control. 8. itthi (str)-p., women; 9. kariyâ (karyâ)-p., erratic life; 10. nisthiyâ (naishêdhikt)-p., place for study; 11. seggâ (sayyâ)-p., lodging; 12. akkosa (âkrôsa)-p., abuse; 13. vaha (vadha)-p., corporal punishment; 14. gâyanâ (yâkanâ)-p., to ask for something; 15. alâbha-p., to be refused; 16. rôga-p., illness; 17. tana-phâsa (trinasparsa), pricking of grass; 18. galla-p., dirt; 19. sakkârapurakkara (satkârapura/kâra)-p., kind and respectful treatment; 20. panna (pragñâ)-p., understanding; 21. annâna (agñâna)-p., ignorance; 22. sammatta (samyaktva)-p., righteousness. The enumeration of the troubles has been delivered by the Kâsyapa, I shall explain them to you in due order. Listen to me.

1. Though his body be weakened by hunger, a monk who is strong (in self-control) and does penance, should not cut or cause another to cut (anything to be eaten), nor cook it or cause another to cook it.

Though emaciated like the joint of a crow's (leg) and covered with a network of veins, he should know the permitted measure of food and drink, and wander about with a cheerful mind.

2. Though overcome by thirst, he should drink no cold water, restrained by shame and aversion (from forbidden things); he should try to get distilled water.

Wandering about on deserted ways, in pain, thirsty, with dry throat, and distressed, he should bear this trouble (of thirst).

3. If a restrained, austere ascetic occasionally suffers from cold on his wanderings, he should not walk beyond the (prescribed) time, remembering the teaching of the Gina.

'I have no shelter and nothing to cover my skin, therefore I shall make a fire to warm myself;' such a thought should not be entertained by a monk.

4. If he suffers from the heat of hot things, or from the heat of his body, or from the heat of summer, he should not lament the loss of comfor a bath, or pour water over his body, or fan undisturbed. As an elephant at the head of the battle kills the enemy, so does a hero (in self-control conquer the internal foe).

He should not scare away (insects), nor keep them off, nor be in the least provoked to passion by them. Tolerate living beings, do not kill them, though they eat your flesh and blood.

6. 'My clothes being torn, I shall (soon) go naked,' or 'I shall get a new suit;' such thoughts should not be entertained by a monk.

At one time he will have no clothes, at another he will have some; knowing this to be a salutary rule, a wise (monk) should not complain about it.

7. A houseless and poor monk who wanders from village to village may become tired of ascetic life he should bear this trouble.

A sage should turn away from this discontent; he should wander about free from sins, guarded in himself, a tabernacle (as it were) of the Law, doing no actions, and perfectly passionless.

8. In this world men have a natural liking for women; he who knows (and renounces) them, will easily perform his duties as a Sramana.

A wise man who knows that women are a slough, as it were, will get no harm from them, but will wander about searching for the Self.

9. Alone, living on allowed food', he should wander about, bearing all troubles, in a village or a town or a market-place or a capital.

Different (from other men) a monk should wander about, he should acquire no property; but not being attached to householders, he should live without a fixed residence.

10. In a burial-place, or a deserted house, or below a tree he should sit down, alone, without moving, and he should not drive away any one.

Sitting there he should brave all dangers; when seized with fear, he should not rise and go to some other place.

11. A monk who does penance and is strong (in self-control), will not be affected beyond measure by good or bad lodgings, but an evil-minded monk will.

Having obtained a good or bad lodging in an empty house, he should stay there thinking: 'What does it matter for one night?'

12. If a layman abuses a monk, he should not grow angry against him; because he would be like a child, a monk should not grow angry.

If a monk hears bad words, cruel and rankling ones, he should silently overlook them, and not take them to heart.

13. A monk should not be angry if beaten, nor should he therefore entertain sinful thoughts; knowing patience to be the highest good, a monk should meditate on the Law.

If somebody strikes a restrained, resigned Sramana somewhere, he should think: 'I have not lost my monk to get everything by begging, and nothing without begging.

The hand (of the giver) is not always kindly stretched out to a monk when he is on his begging tour; but he should not think that it would be better to live as a householder.

15. He should beg food from the householder when his dinner is ready; a wise man should not care whether he gets alms or not.

'I get nothing to-day, perhaps I shall get something to-morrow;' a monk who thinks thus, will not be grieved by his want of success.

16. If any misfortune' happens and he suffers pain, he should cheerfully steady his mind, and bear the ills that attack him.

He should not long for medical treatment, but he should continue to search for the welfare of his soul; thus he will be a true Sramana by neither acting himself nor causing others to act.

17. When a naked, rough, restrained ascetic lies on the grass, his body will be hurt.

In the sun his pain will grow insupportable; still a monk, though hurt by the grass, will not use clothes.

18. When by the heat of summer his body sweats and is covered with dirt and dust, a wise monk should not lament his loss of comfort.

He should bear (all this), waiting for the destruction of his Karman, (and practising) the noble, excellent Law; he should carry the filth on his body till he expires.

19. It may be that a gentleman salutes a monk, or rises from his seat on his approach, or invites him (to accept alms in his house): a monk should evince no predilection for men of this sort, who show him such marks of respect.

Not resentful, having few wants, begging from strangers, and not being dainty, a wise man should not long for pleasant things, nor be sorry afterwards (for not having got them).

20. Forsooth, in bygone times I have done actions productive of ignorance, for I do not remember them when asked by anybody anywhere.'

'Afterwards, however, actions productive of ignorance take effect.' Therefore comfort yourself, knowing the consequences of actions.

21. 'It was of no use to turn away from the lust of the senses and to live restrainedly, for I do not properly recognise good and bad things.'

Though in practising austerities and religious observances I live according to strict rules, still the hindrances to knowledge will not go off.'

22. A monk should not think: 'There is, indeed, no life to come, nor an exalted state to be acquired by penances; in short, I have been deceived.'

A monk should not think: 'Those lied who said that there were, are, and will be Ginas.' Nirgarâ. All these troubles have been declared by the Kasyapa. A monk should not be vanquished by them, when attacked by any anywhere. Thus I say. THE FOUR REQUISITES. Four things of paramount value are difficult to obtain here by a living being: human birth, instruction in the Law, belief in it, and energy in who are, in this Samsâra, born in different families and castes for having done various actions. (2) Sometimes they go to the world of the gods, sometimes to the hells, sometimes they become Asuras in accordance with their actions. (3) Sometimes they become Kshattriyas, or Kandalas and Bukkasas, or worms and moths, or (insects called) Kunthu and ants. (4) Thus living beings of sinful actions, who are born again and again in ever-recurring births, are not disgusted with the Samsâra, but they are like warriors (never tired of the battle of life). (5) Living beings bewildered through the influence of their actions, distressed and suffering pains, undergo misery in non-human births. (6) But by the cessation of Karman, perchance, living beings will reach in due time a pure state and be born as men. (7) II. And though they be born with a human body, it will be difficult for them to hear the Law, having heard which they will do penances, combat their passions and abstain from killing living beings. (8) III. And though, by chance, they may hear the Law, it will be difficult for them to believe in it; many who are shown the right way, stray from it. (9) IV. And though they have heard the Law and believe in it, it is difficult for them to fulfill it strenuously; many who approve of the religion, do not adopt it. (10) Having been born as a man, having heard the Law, believing in it, and fulfilling it strenuously, an ascetic should restrain himself and shake off sinfulness. (11) The pious obtain purity, and the pure stand firmly in the Law: (the soul afterwards) reaches the highest Nirvana, being like unto a fire fed with ghee. (12) Leave off the causes of sin, acquire fame through patience! (A man who acts up to this) will rise to the upper regions after having left this body of clay. (13) The Yakshas who are gifted with various virtues, (live in the heavenly regions, situated) one above the other, shining forth like the great luminaries, and hoping never to descend thence. (14) Intent on enjoying divine pleasures and changing their form at will, they live in the upper Kalpa heavens many à centuries of former years. (15) The Yakshas, having remained there according to their merit, descend thence at the expiration of their life and are born as men. Men are of ten kinds. (16) Fields and houses, gold, cattle, slaves and servants: where these four goods, the causes of pleasure, are present, in such families he is born. (17) He will have friends and relations, be of good family, of fine complexion, healthy, wise, noble, famous, and powerful. (18) After having enjoyed, at their proper time, the unrivalled pleasures of human life, he will obtain true knowledge by his pure religious merit acquired in a former life. (19) Perceiving that the four requisites are difficult to obtain, he will apply himself to self-control, and when by penances he has shaken off the remnant of Karman, he will become an eternal Siddha. (20) Thus I say. IMPURITY. You cannot prolong your life, therefore be not careless; you are past help when old age approaches. Consider this what (protection) will careless people get, who kill living beings and do not exert themwealth by evil deeds, will lose it, falling into the snares (of their passions) and being held captive by their hatred. (2) As the burglar caught in the breach of the wall perishes by the work the sinner himself had executed, thus people in this life and the next cannot escape the effect of their own actions. (3) If a man living in the Samsâra does an action for the sake of somebody else, or one by which he himself also profits, then, at the time of reaping the fruit of his actions, his relations will not act as true relations (i.e. will not come to his help). (4) Wealth will not protect a careless man in this world and the next. Though he had seen the right way, he does not see it, even as one in the dark whose lamp has suddenly been put out. (5) Though others sleep, be thou awake! Like a wise man, trust nobody, but be always on the alert; for dangerous is the time and weak the body. Be always watchful like a Bhârunda bird! (6) A monk should step carefully in his walk (i. e. in his life), supposing everything to be a snare for him. First he must bestow care on his life till he wins the stake (viz. enlightenment), and afterwards he should despise it, annihilating his sins. (7) By conquering his will, (a monk) reaches liberation, as a well-broken horse which is clad in harness (goes to battle). Be watchful in your young years; for thereby a monk quickly obtains liberation. (8) 'If he does not get (victory over his will) early, he will get it afterwards;' such reasoning presupposes the eternity of human life. But such a man despairs when his life draws to its close, and the dissolution of his body approaches. (9) One cannot quickly arrive at discernment; therefore one should exert one's self, abstain from pleasures, understand the world, be impartial like a sage, and guard one's self: (thus) never be careless. (10) A Sramana who again and again suppresses the effects of delusion, and controls himself, will be affected in a rough way by external things; but a monk should not hate them in his mind. (11) External things weaken the intellect and allure many; therefore keep them out of your mind. Keep off delusion, remove pride, do not practise deceit, leave off greed. (12) Heretics who are impure and vain, are always subject to love and hate, and are wholly under the influence (of their passions). Despising them as unholy men, desire virtues till the end of your life. (13) Thus I say.