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SUTRAKRITÂNGA.
pure food), he would be neither monk nor layman. (1)
Sramanas who do not comprehend this and do not know what is dangerous, who care for the pleasures of the moment only, will suffer death an endless number of times, like big fishes who when the water rises are by the water (deposited) on dry land and are killed (there), poor things, by hungry dhankas and herons. (2-4)
We hear also of another error of some (philosophers) some say that the world has been created (or is governed) by the gods, others, by Brahman. (5)
Some 1 say that it has been created by the Îsvara, others that it was produced from chaos, &c., this world with living beings and lifeless things, with its variety of pleasure and pain. (6)
The great Rishi said, that the world has been created by Svayambhû; Mâra originated Mâyâ, therefore the world (appears to be) uneternal. (7) Some Brahmanas and Sramanas say that the
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1 This might also be translated: though the food passes through the hands of a thousand men before he accepts it.'
2 Vêsâliya vaisâlika. The commentators offer three explanations of this word, (1) marine, visâlah samudras tatrabhavâh; (2) belonging to the genus called visâla; (3) big, visâla.
3 Dêvauttê. This is either dêvair uptah, sown, i.e. produced by the gods, or dêvair guptah, governed by the gods.
The adherents of the Yoga and Sânkhya philosophy, or the theistical and atheistical followers of the latter, are apparently meant by 'some' and 'others.'
5 The commentators unfortunately have not preserved the name of the great Rishi; they identify Svayambhû with Vishnu or some one else.' This Svayambhu, afraid that the earth should become overcrowded, called to help Yama, alias Mâra, who with the help of Mâyâ makes the creatures appear to die.
