Page Text
________________
(2) Some argue that those who do not understand the meaning of the sütrus recite them as does a parrot. If one does not know the meaning of the sūtrus recited, one finds no interest in the performance of the act and simply mechanically performs the act for the sake of the act only. The act performed without understanding bears no fruit. Scriptures too accept this and declare that one should perform the act with understanding and knowledge. An answer to them is that it is ignorance lo consider this invaluable spiritual tonic to be useless. To know the act with meaning one should depend on the learned. Even in worldly life we do the same thing. There are some persons who cannot do their work independently, they do require help from some other persons; with their assistance they accomplish their task and gain benefit. Here their faith comes to their rescue. The place of faith is in no way inferior to that of intelligence. One who knows meaning but does not have faith in religious acts can achieve nothing Hence with faith and acquiring to one's ability knowledge of meaning one should perform religious acts.
(3) The sūtras of the āvusyuka act are written in Sanskrit/Prakrit which are the ancient languages of scriptures. Some opine that
r language should be the one prevalent among and spoken by the people. They say so because they are ignorant of those languages. They do not know that serenity, charm, sentiment and import of the mantrus remain intact due to that ancient language. Thus, the verbal dignity and power which we find in the sūtras disappear and the sacredness of the sūtrus suffers if the sūtras are translated into some other language. Again, when these sitrus are recited in a group by the people settled in distant different provinces, they experience perfect unity. The strength of unity is in no way less important. Even to preserve this unity, we should preserve the oldness of the language of the sutras. Otherwise, the people will compose sutras to their likings and the clarity of the sūtras will not be preserved. And as a result, there will arise a great danger to the spirit of unity. The sūtrus of various religious sects like Hindu, Bauddha etc. are in their original ancient
| SR No. | 002010 |
| Book Title | Concept of Pratikramana |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Nagin J Shah, Madhu Sen |
| Publisher | Gujarat Vidyapith Ahmedabad |
| Publication Year | 1993 |
| Total Pages | 40 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English, Religion, & Principle |
| File Size | 2 MB |