________________
ÂKÂRÂNGA SÛTRA.
FIRST BOOK'.
FIRST LECTURE 2,
CALLED
KNOWLEDGE OF THE WEAPON.
FIRST LESSON 3.
O long-lived (Gambûsvâmin1)! I (Sudharman) have heard the following discourse from the venerable (Mahâvira): (1)
Here many do not remember whether they have descended in an eastern direction (when they were born in this world), or in a southern, or in a western, or in a northern direction, or in the direction from above, or in the direction from below, or in a direction intermediate (between the cardinal points), or in a direction intermediate between these (and the
1 Suyakkhamdha, srutaskandha.
2
Agghayana, adhyayana. The first lecture is called satthaparinnâ (sastra-parigñâ), 'knowledge of the weapon.' Weapons are divided into material weapon and weapon consisting in a state (bhâva). The latter is explained to be non-control (asamyama) or the wrong use of mind, speech, and body. Knowledge (parigiâ) is twofold: comprehension and renunciation. The subject of the first lecture is, therefore, the comprehension and renunciation of everything that hurts other beings.
Uddesaya, uddesaka.
⚫ Gambûsvâmin was the disciple of Sudharman, one of the eleven chief disciples (ganadhara) of Mahâvîra.
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B
