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Understanding (Süyagada I 1.)
141
another, (those) of dull intellect, devoted to (injurious) activity (which they themselves in fact do not believe in).
15. [4.] There are five elements that are mentioned by some here in the world and likewise, (so) they say, the soul is added as the sixth; the soul and the world (though) are eternal, 17) 16. twice they do not disappear, and what does not exist, does not arise, all things (though, that there are) have in all cases the quality of necessity."
17. [5.] Some mention five elements of being, fools, who assert a chain of moments.(20) They say: "[The spiritual consciousness in every embodiment is) something else, [it is) not for instance not anything else (than in the previous existence]," and they call] resting on a cause what [indeed] does not rest on a cause.21
18. Earth, water, fire and wind, the[se] four elements together (make up the physical appearance, so say the wise.22 19. [Indeed] those who still] live in a house or (already (are in)] forests and mountains will be freed of all suffering if they share this view; 20. [but] if they have not recognized the connection (of all things], these people do not (really] know about the [actual] doctrine; those who speak so, are not called those who are beyond] the stream, (others transmit:) 21. are beyond samsāra, 22. [the entry into) a womb, 23. being born, 24, suffering, 25. death. 26. They experience always anew manifold suffering in the cycle which one calls samsāra with its abundance of death, disease and old age. 27. In proceeding to higher and
"On this doctrine and its counterpart in Digha Nikāya I 16, 10 see Jayatilleke 1963, p. 265 (WB).
duhao is perhaps simply "both", namely, precisely soul and world. Or this is meant (which Alsdorf considered improbable (WB): the line of their existence does not have an end at the beginning and none at the end. According to Sil. duhao would mean: with a cause and without a cause, or: sentient and insentient. For the statements of (4.) compare also II 1, 22 where only the short sentence with duhao is missing. (See further Bollée 1977, pp. 71f. (WB)).
19 Thus the äyachatha-phala-(ātmaşaștha-) vādin. Read: -!th'aphala. (For a discussion on this see Bollée 1977, pp. 70ff, and also Alsdorf 1959, pp. 11 ff. (WB). 20 On the chain of moments see Rospatt 1995 (WB).
21 Thus the aphalavādin. Here the Buddhist doctrine of skandha and of the renewal of viññāna appear, which in Majjh. I 256, 16 is called ananna.
22 These so-called jānayā for Sil, are also Buddhists. Since, however, the doctrine of the four elements contradicts that of the Buddhists, while on the other hand being identical with that of the Jainas, so it seems that the Nigganthas are probably meant here. I would like to follow the hint given by Harşakula in the explanatory words: panditam manyā bauddhāh and take jānaya as *inānaka. The counterpart occurs in the indubitable meaning ajānaya in 3, 1, 11.-The other reading for jänayā is avare, "others". (Bollée 1977, p. 75 proposes jānayā with aphaeresis (WB).)
23 Perhaps not in all stanzas 21-25 are there, as usual, other traditions which are simply enumerated, but I do not regard the series as original. (See Bollée 1977, p. 78 and Alsdorf 1957, p. 207 for Jātaka poetry (WB).)
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