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BOOK III: THE CONDUCT
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wanders for ever in samsara. (266)
If one who himself possesses lower qualities, thinking from pride “I also am a shramana,” expects reverence from others who are superior in merit, then, may be, owing to pride in his shramana-hood he wanders for ever in samsara.
Now he shows that utter ruin befalls the man superior in shramanahood who treats his inferior as an equal:
III.67 If the superior in merits as regards shramana-hood show in their actions (respect) to those inferior in merits, they are imbued with delusion and debased conduct. (267)
Those who, themselves superior in merits, show in their actions (respect) to others inferior in merits, fall from (right) conduct, are perverted through infatuation. .
Now he shows that association with those who are not good (asat) is forbidden:
III.68. If a man who possesses sure knowledge of the words and meanings of the sutras, whose passions are subsided (read shamita in the Sanskrit paraphrase) and who excels in austerities does not give up company with worldly people, then he is not self-controlled (samyata). (268/1)
Seeing that even one exceedingly self-controlled through possessing (1) a sure (nishchita) knowledge of the words and meanings of the sutras-through the method of internal, self-referential point of view (strict-examination, Faddegon) (nishchaya-naya) applied to (a) the complete Holy Word, having the existent for characteristic and expounding the world-totality (vishva), and (b) its complete import, having the existent for characteristic, and (c) the whole knowing reality, having the existent for characteristic and simultaneously pervading as the basis the knowable forms of both, and (2) the quelling of his passions through his psychic-attention being free from inclination and (3) superiority in austerities because of motionless psychic-attention repeatedly practised, would through attachment to worldly people lose self-control, like water in contact with the god-ofseven-rays (fire),-some change is unavoidable, therefore attachment to such people is in any case to be prohibited.
Now he adds a definition of worldly people:
III.69. If one who has left the world for the state-without-bonds (nirgrantha) still engages in mundane concerns, he is called a worldly
