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406
SÚTRAKRITÂNGA.
truth; from these alternatives you are, certainly, led to error. (3) -...
One should not say: that there will be an end of beings who (know and) teach the truth"; nor that all beings are not alike, nor that they shall be in (perpetual) bondage, or (that the prophets are) eternal. (4)
From these alternatives you cannot arrive at the truth, &c. (see verse 3). (5)
One should not say: the guilt of killing small and great animals is the same, or not the same. (6)
From these alternatives, &c. (7)
One should know that those who accept things especially prepared for them?, will be affected by demerit (in some cases), or will not be affected (where it is allowed by scripture). (8)
From these alternatives, &c. (9)
One should not maintain the identity of the audârika 3, â hârika, and kârmana bodies, nor
the substratum of the idea (sâmânya) world'; it is not eternal as far as its ever-changing state is meant.
1 Sâstârah, teachers, here those who reach perfection. The meaning is that the world would become empty if all beings should reach perfection. This should not be maintained, nor the opposite opinion, that some beings are qualified for Nirvana and others not.
2 Ahâkammâni, see p. 131, note 7.
3 The Gainas assume that each individual possesses five bodies : (1) audârika, or the body that is seen; (2) kârmana, receptacle of Karman, it is composed of Karman particles; (3) taigasa, a body composed of particles of fire, it causes digestion; (4) â hâraka, a subtile body of the soul, with which he goes to distant places (e.g. when a katurdasa purvin goes to the Kêvalin to clear up some doubt); (5) vaikriya, a subtile body which can be changed at will. All these 'bodies,' except the first, are what in common language are called spirits or souls. We have here a Hindu counterpart of the belief in the plurality of souls shared
