________________
Pure Life (Bambhacerāim)
87
8,5
Many times [already, in earlier forms of existence] one (was] of noble birth, many times of a lower one; (one will be) neither less nor more" (than one deserves]: [therefore] one should not strive! Who could, if he considers it, be at all proud about his birth (or) of being honoured, or what could he, alone as he is, desire? That is why, a prudent one should be devoted neither to gratification nor to displeasure. [It has been said indeed:] ‘Know and scrutinize what (appears)'' desirable to [us] creatures attentively, having comprehended this (result]', because there is here: blindness, deafness, dumbness, one-eyed-ness, distortion (of limbs), 52 hunchback-ness, back-pointedness, black- [and] coloured-ness. In alliance with imprudence one moves between original abodes of different kinds [and] experiences many effects, because one does not reach knowledge, suffers blows
always anew, continuously going through birth and death.53 15 (To every such person in the world who possesses lands and property life is dear.")
(5.) They possess a plain-coloured or colourful" (dress), an earring of precious stones (or also) of gold, [or] women, and their mind is directed towards them; one
does not see renunciation, self-control, discipline in them. 'Completely foolish, 20 (hanging on to life,) giving many speeches [and] confused he hurries (for so it is
said) towards ruin.' This those do not desire" who constantly continue their journey; recognizing life and death (as being injurious) the steadfast one wanders free from doubt.So Death penetrates everywhere, [but] all beings love life, (they yearn for happiness, resist unhappiness)
30 The Nāgārjuniya, from whose text are reported differences from ours in the commentaries, have: "Every individual soul truly (was) of noble birth many times in the past, many times of a lower one; in proportion to what has been done (instead of kamdaga, kadaga is to be supposed) neither less nor more."
Instead of this quotation the Nāgārjuniya have: “A person who strives for the joy of the termination of suffering must first of all gain the knowledge about the living substance ...) until must distinguish between the desired and the undesired, the welcome and the unwelcome and, consequently, put an end to injury (of living beings)." Since the lines 8, 8f. are a quotation they should have been put in single quotes in the edition and connected to kujjhe.
» kuntatvam pānivakr 'aditvam. » The full stop in 8, 12 of the edition is to be removed, 8, 14 as prose (as already indicated in the edition p. 47) is to be connected to 13. The same with 8, 19f. S4 Or: "woman" (khetta). But this does not fit Say. II 1, 35. » The reason for the connection: the apparent context. 50 As with the commentators, 'sanka-mane is to be read instead of samkamane.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
