The First Wave Of Ascension | |
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Anonymous Coward 12/08/2005 10:07 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | FIRST BOOK. FIRST LECTURE, CALLED KNOWLEDGE OF THE WEAPON. FIRST LESSON. O long-lived (Gambusvamin)! I (Sudharman) have heard the following discourse from the venerable (Mahivira): (1) Here many do not remember whether they have descended in an eastern direction (when they were born in this world), or in a southern, or in a western, or in a northern direction, or in the direction from above, or in the direction from below, or in a direction intermediate (between the cardinal points), or in a direction intermediate between these (and the cardinal points). (2) Similarly, some do not know whether their soul is born again and again or not; nor what they were formerly, nor what they will become after having died and left this world. (3) Now this is what one should know, either by one´s own knowledge or through the instruction of the highest (i.e. a Tirthakara), or having heard it from others: that he descended in an eastern direction, or in any other direction (particularised above). Similarly,some know that their soul is born again and again, that it arrives in this or that direction, whatever direction that may be. (4) He believes in soul, believes in the World believes in rewards, believes in action (acknowledged to be our own doing in such judgments as these): ´I did it;´ ´I shall cause another to do it;´ ´I shall allow another to do it.´ In the world, these are all the causes of sin, which must be comprehended and renounced. (5) A man that does not comprehend and renounce the causes of sin, descends in a cardinal or intermediate direction, wanders to all cardinal or intermediate directions, is born again and again in manifold births, experiences all painful feelings. (6) About this the Revered One has taught the truth (comprehension and renunciation). For the sake of the splendour, honour, and glory of this life, for the sake of birth, death, and final liberation, for the removal of pain, all these causes of sin are at work, which are to be comprehended and renounced in this world. He who, in the world, comprehends and renounces these causes of sin, is called a reward-knowing sage (muni). Thus I say´. (7) ..... FOURTH LESSON. (Thus I say): A man should not, of his own accord, deny the world (of fire-bodies), nor should he deny the self. He who denies the world (of fire-bodies), denies the self; and he who denies the self, denies the world (of fire-bodies). (1) He who knows that (viz. fire) through which injury is done to the long-living bodies (i.e. plants), knows also that which does no injury (i.e. control); and he who knows that which does no injury, knows also that through which no injury is done to the long-living bodies. (2) This has been seen by the heroes (of faith) who conquered ignorance; for they control themselves, always exert themselves, always mind their duty. He who is unmindful of duty, and desiring of the qualities (i.e. of the pleasure and profit which may be derived from the elements) is called the torment (of living beings). Knowing this, a wise man (resolves): ´Now (I shall do) no more what I used to do want only before.´ (3) See! there are men who control themselves; others pretend only to be houseless; for one destroys this (fire-body) by bad and injurious doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of fire, through his doing acts relating to fire. About this the Revered One has taught the truth: for the sake of the splendour, honour, and glory of this life, for the sake of birth, death, and final liberation, for the removal of pain, man acts sinfully towards fire, or causes others to act so, or allows others to act so. (4) This deprives him of happiness and perfect wisdom. About this he is informed when he has understood, or heard from the Revered One or from the monks, the faith to be coveted. There are some who, of a truth, know this (i.e. injuring) to be the bondage, the delusion, the death, the hell. For this a man is longing, when he destroys this (fire-body) by bad and injurious doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of fire, through his doing acts relating to fire. Thus I say. (5) There are beings living in the earth, living in grass, living on leaves, living in wood, living in cowdung, living in dust-heaps, jumping beings which coming near (fire) fall into it. Some, certainly, touched by fire, shrivel up; those which shrivel up there, lose their sense there; those which lose their sense there, die there. (6) He who injures these (fire-bodies) does not comprehend and renounce the sinful acts; he who does not injure these, comprehends and renounces the sinful acts. Knowing them, a wise man should not act sinfully towards fire, nor cause others to act so, nor allow others to act so. He who knows the causes of sin relating to fire, is called a reward knowing sage. Thus I say. (7) |
Anonymous Coward 12/08/2005 10:07 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | AKARANGA SUTRA FIRST BOOK. FIRST LECTURE, CALLED KNOWLEDGE OF THE WEAPON ... SIXTH LESSON Thus I say. There are beings called the animate, viz. those who are produced 1. from eggs (birds, &c.), 2. from a fetus (as elephants, &c.), 3. from a fetus with an enveloping membrane (as cows, buffaloes, &c.), 4. from fluids (as worms, &c.) 5, from sweat (as bugs, lice, &c.), 6. by coagulation (as locusts, ants, &c.), 7. from sprouts (as butterflies, wagtails, &c.), 8. by regeneration (men, gods, hell-beings). This is called the Samsara (1) for the slow, for the ignorant. Having well considered it, having well looked at it, I say thus: all beings, those with two, three, four senses, plants, those with five senses, and the rest of creation, (experience) individually pleasure or displeasure, pain, great terror, and unhappiness. Beings are filled with alarm from all directions and in all directions- See! there the benighted ones cause great pain. See! there are beings individually embodied. (2) See! there are men who control themselves; others pretend only to be houseless, for one destroy this (body of an animal) by bad and injurious doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of animals, through his doing acts relating to animals. (3) About this the Revered One has taught the truth: for the sake of the splendour, honour, and glory of this life, for the sake of birth, death, and final liberation, for the removal of pain, man acts sinfully towards animals, or causes others to act so, or allows others to act so. This deprives him of happiness and perfect wisdom. About this he is informed, when he has understood, or heard from the Revered One or from the monks, the faith to be coveted. There are some who, of a truth, know this (i.e. injuring) to be the bondage, the illusion, the death, the hell. For this a man is longing, when he injures this (body of an animal) by bad and injurious doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of animals, through acts relating to animals. Thus I say. (4) Some slay (animals) for sacrificial purposes, some kill (animals) for the sake of their skin, some kill (them) for the sake of their flesh, some kill them for the sake of their blood; thus for the sake of their heart, their bile, the feathers of their tail, their tail, their big or small horns, their teeth, their tusks, their nails, their sinews, their bones; with a purpose or without a purpose. Some kill animals because they have been wounded by them, or are wounded, or will be wounded. (5) He who injures these (animals) does not comprehend and renounce the sinful acts; he-who does not injure these, comprehends and renounces the sinful acts. Knowing them, a wise man should not act sinfully towards animals, nor cause others to act so, nor allow others to act so. He who knows these causes of sin relating to animals, is called a reward-knowing sage. Thus I say. (6) |
Anonymous Coward 12/08/2005 10:07 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | AKARANGA SUTRA FIRST BOOK. EIGHTH LESSON. The wise ones who attain in due order to one of the unerring states (in which suicide is prescribed), those who are rich in control and endowed with knowledge, knowing the incomparable (religious death, should continue their contemplation). (1) Knowing the twofold (obstacleso i.e. bodily and mental), the wise ones, having thoroughly learned the law, perceiving in due order (ihat the time for their death has come), get rid of karman. (2) Subduing the passions and living on little food, he should endure (hardships). If a mendicant falls sick, let him again take food. (3) Be should not long for life, nor wish for death; he should yearn after neither, life or death. (4) He who is indifferent and wishes for the destruction of karman, should continue his contemplation. Becoming unattached internally and externally, he should strive after absolute purity. (5) Whatever means one knows for calming one´s own life, that a wise man should learn (i. e. practise) in order to gain time (for continuing penance). (6) In a village or in a forest, examining the ground and recognising it as free from living beings, the sage should spread the straw. (7) Without food he should he down and bear the pains which attack him. He should not for too long time give way to worldly feelings which overcome him. (8) When crawling animals or such as live on high or below, feed on his flesh and blood, he should neither kill them nor rub (the wound). (9) Though these animals destroy the body, he should not stir from his position. After the Asravas have ceased, he should bear (pains) as if he rejoiced in them. (10) When the bonds fall off, then he has accomplished his life. (We shall now describe) a more exalted (method) for a well-controlled and instructed monk. (11) This other law has been proclaimed by Gñatriputra: He should give up all motions except his own in the thrice-threefold way. (12) He should not lie on sprouts of grass, but inspecting the bare ground he should lie on it. Without any comfort and food, he should there bear pain. (13) When the sage becomes weak in his limbs, he should strive after calmness. For he is blameless, who is well fixed and immovable (in his intention to die). (14) He should move to and fro (on his ground), contract and stretch (his limbs) for the benefit of the whole body; or (he should remain quiet as if he were) lifeless. (15) He should walk about, when tired of (lying), or stand with passive limbs; when tired of standing, he should sit down. (16) Intent on such an uncommon death, he should regulate the motions of his organs. Having attained a place swarming with insects, he should search for a clean spot. (17) He should not remain there whence sin would rise. He should raise himself above (sinfulness), and bear all pains. (18) And this is a still more difficult method, when one lives according to it: not to stir from one´s place, while checking all motions of the body. (19) This is the highest law, exalted above the preceding method: Having examined a spot of bare ground he should remain there; stay O Brahmana! (20) Having attained a place free from living beings, he should there fix himself. He should thoroughly mortify his flesh, thinking: There are no obstacles in my body. (21) Knowing as long as be lives the dangers and troubles, the wise and restrained (ascetic) should bear them as being instrumental to the dissolution of the body. (22) He should not be attached to the transitory pleasures, nor to the greater ones; he should not nourish desire and greed, looking only for eternal praise. (23) He should be enlightened with eternal objectss, and not trust in the delusive power of the gods; a Brahmana should know of this and cast off all inferiority. (24) Not devoted to any of the external objects he reaches the end of his life; thinking that patience is the highest good, he (should choose) one of (the described three) good methods of entering Nirvana. (25) Thus I say. End of the Seventh Lecture, called Liberation. |
Anonymous Coward 12/08/2005 10:07 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | FIRST BOOK. FIFTH LECTURE, CALLED ESSENCE OF THE WORLD. FIRST LESSON. O long-lived (Gambusvamin)! I (Sudharman) have heard the following discourse from the venerable (Mahivira): (1) Many entertain cruel thoughts against the world with a motive or without one; they entertain cruel thoughts against these (six classes of living beings). To him, pleasures are clear. Therefore he is near death. Because he is near death, he is far (from liberation). But he who is neither near (death) nor far (from liberation), considers the life of a slow and ignorant fool as similar to a dewdrop trembling on the sharp point of the blade of Kusa grass which falls down when shaken by the wind. A fool, doing cruel acts, comes thereby ignorantly to grief. Through delusion he is born, dies, &c.´ Being conversant with the deliberation about this delusion, one is conversant with the samsara; being not conversant with that deliberation, one is not conversant with the samsara. He who is clever, should not seek after sexual intercourse. But having done so, (it would be) a second folly of the weak-minded not to own it. Repenting and excluding (from the mind) the begotten pleasures, one should instruct others to follow the commandment. Thus I say. (1) Sce! many who desire colours, are led around (in the samsara), they (experience) here again and again feelings (i.e. punishment). Many live by injurious deeds against the world, they live by injurious deeds against these (living beings). Also the fool, suffering (for his passions), delights in bad acts here, mistaking that for salvation which is none. Many (heretics) lead the life of a hermit (in order to avoid worldly sorrows and pains). (2) Such a man has much wrath, much pride, much conceit, much greed; he delights in many (works), acts frequently like a stage-player or a rogue, forms many plans, gives way to his impulses, is influenced by his acts though he pretends to be awakened: (thinking) that nobody will see him. Through the influence of ignorance and carelessness the fool never knows the law. Men! unhappy creatures, world-wise are those who, not freeing themselves from ignorance, talk about final liberation: they turn round and round in the whirlpool (of births). Thus I say. (3) |
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