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III ADHYAYA, 4 PÂDA, 19.
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Moreover, direct scriptural enunciations forbid other stages of life ; cp. 'A murderer of the gods is he who removes the fire;' After having brought to thy teacher his proper reward do not cut off the line of children' (Taitt. Up. I, JI, I; To him who is without a son the world does not belong; all beasts even know that.'-Similarly the passages, 'Those who in the forest practise faith and austerity' (Kh. Up. V, 10, 1), and the analogous passage (from the Mundaka), contain instruction not about the other stages of life but about the going on the path of the gods. And of clauses such as 'austerity is the second' it is doubtful whether they speak of a stage of life at all. And a passage like Wishing for that world only mendicants wander forth,' does not enjoin the wandering forth but merely glorifies that world.—But there is at any rate one scriptural text which directly and unambiguously enjoins the condition of life of the wandering mendicant, viz. the one of the Gâbâlas, “Let him wander forth at once from the state of studentship.'-True, but our discussion is carried on without reference to that passage.
19. (The other stage of life) is to be accomplished, (according to) Bâdarayana; on account of the scriptural statement of equality.
The teacher Bådaråyana is of opinion that that other stage of life is something to be accomplished. The view that there is a contradiction because the other stage of life is stated in the Veda and, on the other hand, works such as the Agnihotra must necessarily be performed, and that, in order to remove this contradiction, that other stage of life must be entered upon by those only who are not qualified for active worship, he rejects; being of opinion that that other stage is to be entered upon, in the same way as the state of the householder, even by him who does not wish to do so.-On what ground ?- On account of the scriptural statement of equality.' For we have a passage (viz. 'There are three branches of the law,' &c.) which refers equally to that other stage as to the state of the householder. As the state of the householder which
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| SR No. | 007681 |
| Book Title | Questions of King Milinda Part 01 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | T W Rhys Davids |
| Publisher | Oxford |
| Publication Year | 1890 |
| Total Pages | 2695 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 47 MB |