Book I, Lecture 2, Lesson 2

Jaina Sutras, Part II (SBE22), tr. by Hermann Jacobi, [1884], at sacred-texts.com

SECOND LESSON.

A wise man should remove any aversion (to control ³); he will be liberated in the proper time. Some, following wrong instruction, turn away (from control). They are dull, wrapped in delusion. While they imitate the life of monks, (saying), 'We shall be free from attachment,' they enjoy the pleasures that offer themselves ⁴. Through wrong instruction the (would-be) sages trouble themselves (for pleasures); thus they sink deeper and deeper in delusion, (and cannot get) to this, nor to the opposite shore ⁵. Those who are freed (from attachment to the world and its pleasures), reach the opposite shore ⁶. Subduing desire by desirelessness, he does not enjoy the pleasures that offer themselves. Desireless, giving up the world, and ceasing to act, he knows, and sees, and has no wishes because of his discernment ⁷; he is called houseless. (t)

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(But on the contrary) he suffers day and night, works in the right and the wrong time, desires wealth and treasures, commits injuries and violent acts, again and again directs his mind upon these injurious doings ¹; for his own sake, to support or to be supported by his relations, friends, the ancestors, gods, the king, thieves, guests, paupers, Sramanas. (2)

Thus violence is done by these various acts, deliberately, out of fear, because they think 'it is for the expiation of sins ²,' or for some other hope. Knowing this, a wise man should neither himself commit violence by such acts, nor order others to commit violence by such acts, nor consent to the violence done by somebody else.

This road (to happiness) has been declared by the noble ones, that a clever man should not be defiled (by sin). Thus I say. (3)

Footnotes

17:3 Arati is usually dislike, âuttai exercise; but, according to the commentators, these words here mean samyamârati and nivartayati.

17:4 E. g. the Buddhists, &c., Sâkyâdayah.

17:5 I.e. they are neither householders nor houseless monks.

17:6 I.e. moksha, final liberation.

17:7 Viz. between good and had, or of the results of desire.

18:1 See I, 2, 1, § 1.

18:2 The sacrificial rites of the Brâhmanas are meant.