________________
148
Lord Mahāvīra and His Times
and wander about till he attains his final liberation. The Buddhists hold that pleasant things are produced from pleasant things. Those who exert themselves at the proper time feel no remorse afterwards. The heroes, who get rid of their fetters, do not long for their life. A monk should strive for the attainment of Nirvāṇa which consists in peace.
Considering the consequences a worthy monk should have no intercourse with women. He should avoid them. Those who have intercourse with women have ceased to practise meditation. When a monk breaks the Law, dotes on women and is absorbed by that passion, they afterwards scold hin, lift their foot up, and trample down his head. One should not mind the entreaties of women, but abstain from their friendship and company. The pleasures which are derived therefrom are causes of blamable actions. A monk should abstain from women and commit no unnatural crime. A wise and learned monk, whose soul is uncontaminated, will abstain from doing work for others; he will endure all hardships with all his might.
A virtuous monk should never keep company with the wicked. He should not stay in the house of a householder except under compulsion. He should obey and serve a wise and pious teacher. If bcaten, he should not be angry. With a placid mind he should bear everything.
A true monk should not say that this is meritorious and that is not meritorious. He should guard his soul, bring his senses under his control, and put a stop to the current of thic Samsāra. Free from sins, he is cntitled to expound the purc, completc, and unparalleled Law. He should try to attain beatitude.
If a poor monk, subsisting on the meancst food, clings to vanities and makes his monkhood a means of sustcnance, he will suffer again and again. An cloquent monk gifıcd with bright ideas and possessed of a high intellect and purc soul, should combat pride of genius, pride of sanctity, pride of birth, and pride of good living. A monk having conquered atrrsion to self-control and delight in sensual objects, should silently
