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416
SUTRAKRITÂNGA.
"Oh! you have explored this subject; you have thoroughly examined the consequences of acts of living beings; your (fame) reaches the Eastern and Western oceans; you view (the universe as if) it stood on the palm of your hands! (34)
"Thoroughly examining the consequences of acts of living beings, (our monks) have found out a pure way of sustaining life. It is a maxim2 of the monks of our creed, that nobody who lives by secret sins*, should lay down the Law. (35)
"A man who always feeds two thousand worthy monks, does not control himself, and will be blamed in this world like a man with bloody hands. (36)
"They kill a fattened sheep, and prepare food for the sake of a particular person; they season the meat with salt and oil, and dress it with pepper. (37)
"You are irreligious, unworthy men, devoted to foolish pleasures, who say that partaking heartily of this meat you are not soiled by sin. (38)
66
All who partake of such food, commit sins in their ignorance; but the wise do nothing of the kind. Even to utter it is an untruth. (39)
66
"In compassion to all beings, the seers, the Gñâtriputras, avoid what is sinful; afraid of it, they abstain from food especially prepared for them. (40) They abstain from wicked deeds, afraid of injuring living beings, and do no harm to any creature; therefore they do not partake of such food. This is a maxim of the monks of our creed. (41)
1 Anubhâe=anubhâ gah, explained karmavipâka.
2 Anudharma.
Iha samyatânâm, who control themselves in this (creed of the Gainas).
• Khannapadôpagîvin.
5 I.e. the Gainas.
