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Notes Bk. II
273
10. Spheres include in one block the infernal regions at the bottom, the worlds of men and lower animals at the centre and the celestial regions at the top. At the crest of this compact block and slightly separated from it is the abode of the liberated souls. The rest is, non-sphere, limitless and beyond
measure.
11.
On 'standard measure', we have the following: jaladonam addhabhāram samuhāi samūsio u jo navao māṇummāṇapamāṇam tiviham khalu lakkhanam eyam
Three
measures are indicated which are:
(a) When, from a big tub full of water, one drona (about 64 pounds) of water is thrown out by the entering of a man, then the man is said to have a standard measure (manopeta).
(b) When measured on a weighing machine, if the body-weight is equal to ardha-bhāra (about 4000 tolās), then the man is said to have a standard measure (unmāņopeta).
(c) When a man has, by his own fingers, a height of 108 fingers, then he is said to have a standard measure (pramāṇa).
So signs (lakṣaṇas) are three-māṇa, unmāṇa and pramāṇa. They are acquired at birth and are permanent till this body lasts. Marks are acquired after birth, and they change from time to time. Traits include good fortune.
12. The Lord told the gathering how living beings tied themselves with karma bondage by excessive preoccupation with the mundane life, and how they could be liberated through renunciation.
13. They have been used here in the same sense as in S.1.U.10.
14. Bhiksu-pratimă is a penance performed by the monks. It has two courses to complete. From the first month till the seventh runs the first course of seven pratimās. The second course starts with three pratimas of a duration of seven day
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