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CHAPTER XIII ŚRI MAHĀVĪRA'S NIRVĀŅA Then the gods made there a beautiful samavasaraņa, a preaching-hall for the Master, ornamented with three walls. Knowing that the end of his life was near, the Lord, attended by gods and asuras, took his seat in it to deliver his last sermon. Learning that the Master had stopped in a samavasaraņa the lord of the city Apāpā, Hastipāla, came, bowed, and sat down. The gods and others remained there in their proper places, wishing to listen, and Sahasrākṣa came, bowed, and recited a hymn of praise of the Master.
Stuti (5–12)252
“Without merit and demerit there is no body; without a body, how would there be a mouth? Without a mouth, there is no speech. How would others (gods) be teachers ? Activity of one without a body in the creation of the world is not suitable. There is no work from his own will nor by the command of another. If he should act in sport, passionate, he would be like a boy. If he should create with compassion, in that case he would create everything pleasant only. But, of him creating people distressed by the afflictions of pain, a low condition of existence, birth in low categories, et cetera, what compassion is there of him, compassionate ? If he is dependent on karma, in that case he is not independent, like us and others; in the variety produced by karma, what is the use of that weakling?
The activity of the Supreme Lord is not to be considered from his own nature. In that case he, (Lord) of investigators, is the drum for giving up investigation. If in all objects, - the state of being the performer is agreed to be the state of
252 This is no. 7 in Vs., p. 85.
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