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BOOK I, LECTURE 16.
333
SIXTEENTH LECTURE
CALLED
THE SONG 1.
Now the Venerable One said : He who thus subdues his senses, who is well qualified (for his task) 2 and abandons his body, is to be called a Brâhmana, a Sramana, a Bhikshu, a Nirgrantha. (The pupil) replied: Why is he who thus subdues his senses, who is well qualified (for his task) and abandons his body, to be called a Brâhmana, a Sramana, a Bhikshu, a Nirgrantha? Tell this, O great sage! (1)
He is a Brâhmana for this reason that he has ceased from all sinful actions, viz. love, hate, quarrel, calumny, backbiting, reviling of others, aversion to control, and love of pleasures, deceit, untruth, and the sin of wrong belief; that he possesses the Samitis, always exerts himself, is not angry, nor proud. (2)
He is a Sramana for this reason that he is not hampered by any obstacles, that he is free from desires, (abstaining from) property, killing, telling lies, and sexual intercourse; (and from) wrath, pride, deceit, greed, love, and hate : thus giving up every passion that involves him in sin, (such as) killing of beings. (Such a man) deserves the name of a Sramana, who subdues (moreover) his senses, is well qualified (for his task), and abandons his body. (3)
Gâhâ = gâthâ. In this lecture, which is in prose as regards form and contents, there is nothing that could justify the title given it.
2 Da vie = dra vya.
