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Lord Mahāvīra and His Times
temper. If the teacher is angry, he should pacify him by kindness and appease him with folded hands. An intelligent man, who has learnt the sacred texts, takes his duties upon himself. When a worthy teacher is satisfied with a pupil, he will transmit to him his vast knowledge of the sacred texts, and the pupil will gladden the heart of his teacher by his good deeds.1.
Egoism, delusion, carelessness, illness, and idleness are the five causes which render good discipline impossible. Discipline calls upon the practitioner : (1) not to be fond of mirth, (2) to control himself, (3) not to speak evil of others, (4) not to be without discipline, (5) not to be of wrong discipline, (6) not to be covetous, (7) not to be choleric, and (8) to love: truth.2 ACTIONS OF IGNORANT AND WISE MEN
All men, who are ignorant of truth, are subject to pain. A wise man who considers well the way that lead to bondage and birth should search for the truth. A man of pure faith should realize the truth that he will have to suffer for his own deeds.3
Clever talking will not bring salvation. Even while sinking lower and lower through their sins, fools believe themselves to be wise men. One should move about carefully in the endless Samsära. One should never desire worldly objects but sustain one's body only to be able to annihilate one's Karma. Recognising the cause of Karma, one should move about waiting for one's death.4
It is an ignorant man who kills, tells lies, robs on the highway, steals goods, and deceives others." He will go to the world of the Asuras (demons) against his will. Those men ,who, through the exercise of various virtues, become pious householders, will surely reap the fruit of their actions. A virtuous man cheerfully ascends to the state of gods. He who 1. Ullarā, I, 47. 2. Ibid, XI. 4-5. 3. Ibid, VI, 3 ; Sutra, 1, 9, 5. 4. Ibid, VI, 10-14. 5. Ibid, VII, 5.
