Mahavira and his Teaching

Author(s): C C Shah, Rishabhdas Ranka, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: Bhagwan Mahavir 2500th Nirvan Mahotsava Samiti

Page 22

KĀVILĪYAM A METRICAL ANALYSIS
15
proclaimed by the noble ones, by whom this doctrine of the saints has been preached. 9. But one should not injure living creatures; (being) such a one he is called “circumspect". Then his evil action goes away like water from high ground.
10. One should not inflict punishment by thought, word, or deed upon those beings, movable and immovable, who are dependent upon the world.
11. Knowing about (the collection of) pure alms, a monk should establish himself therein. He should seek food for his livelihood (only); a mendicant should not be greedy for savours.
12. He should frequent only solitary (places); he makes use of cold food, old sour gruel, old rice, or mouldy grain, (or) ground jujube for sustenance.
13. Those who practise (fortune-telling by) signs, and dreams, and marks on the body, are certainly not called "ascetics"; thus it has been proclaimed by the teachers.
14. Not having restrained their live here, having fallen away from meditation and concentration, being greedy for savours, enjoyments, and sensual pleasures, they are reborn in an asura's body.
15. And even having ascended from there, they wander much about the samsāra. Enlightment is hard to obtain for those who are defiled by the defilement of much (bad) action.
16. If anyone should give even this whole full earth to one person, he would not be delighted even by that. Thus is this self hard to fill.
17. As is the gain, so is the desire; because of gain desire increases. What has to be done can be done with two māsa (coins); (but) it is not finished even with a crore (of māsa coins).