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## Dasha Shruta Skandha Sutra, Second Dasha
**It can remain as long as one is striving to protect those beings. As soon as the feeling of protection disappears from one's mind, at that very moment, one's soul will become filled with self-violence and restraint-violence.**
**It has been established that one should not perform any of the aforementioned actions on the sentient earth.** This is mentioned first because it is the main cause of samadhi.
**In some copies, "Sejjam va" (Shayanam va), meaning "to sleep on the sentient earth," is also found. However, this reading is not present in the "Samavayaanga Sutra," but only in the copies of the present study.**
**The Sutrakar states in the following Sutra:**
**"Evam Sasniddaae Puḍavīe Evam Sasarakkhaae Puḍavīe." (16)**
**"Evam Sasnigdhaayaam Prithivyaam, Evam Sarajaskaayaam Prithivyaam." (16)**
**Word-by-word meaning:**
**Evam -** In this way, **Sasniddaae -** on the smooth earth, **Puḍavīe -** earth, **Athaava -** or, **Evam -** in this way, **Sasarakkhaae -** on the sentient dust-filled earth, **Puḍavīe -** earth, **Kayotsarga -** shedding of the body, **Tathaa -** and, **Swaadhyaayaadi -** study and other actions, **Kriyaae -** should not be performed.
**Main meaning:**
**In this way, one should not perform actions like shedding the body, study, etc., on the smooth and sentient dust-filled earth.**
**Commentary:**
**Like the previous Sutra, this Sutra also discusses the protection of earth-dwelling beings.**
**The earth that is mixed with water and sand (muddy earth) is called "Snigdha" and the earth that is very smooth due to sentient and non-sentient dust is called "Sarajask." Performing actions like shedding the body, study, and sleeping on both types of earth leads to a decrease in compassion. Therefore, keeping in mind the protection of beings, one should not perform these actions on the sentient earth for the sake of one's physical comfort. Because the result of harming beings has never been pleasant and never will be.**