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Mahavira's Words by Walther Schubring
It follows' from this that if one gives deliberation a free hand there is no question about an interaction [with women] for a competent [monk]. 11. Therefore he should avoid a woman, as if he saw a thorn that would be poisoned (read: visa-littam va k.). Strong [in spirit] he [one] preaches [and is thereby] in the bondage of the houses [attracting him]-despite [that good quality] he is not a fetterless one. 12. Those who crave for such rubbish" are a certain [kind] of [so-called] badly-disciplined ones."2 Even a monk who mortifies himself thoroughly should not share monastic life with women. 13. Also with daughters or daughters-in-law [of the house]," nurses or servants, elders and young ones, he, the houseless one, should not become acquainted. 14. It happens that [monastic] people, when occasionally they have observed [how] displeasure [befell those] of the relatives or friends, [are] yearning in desire [because they say to themselves:] You are the man to protect [them and] help them! (14) 15. And at such an opportunity then, when they see the wandering monk in fervour,(15) some [men] end up in anger, or suspect unfaithfulness with regard to the women as a consequence of handing over food: 16. "They [indeed only] become acquainted with them, far removed from [their] devotional exercises; that is why the wandering monks do not come here for lodging together [apparently] for the sake of the liberation of their souls!"
17. Many [monks] have [so to say] taken possession of [certain] houses and some [of them], feeling inclined to social interaction through friendly acceptance," proclaim the path
170
7 One notes here, as in stanzas 17, 25, 29b, the connection of the parts of the chapter.
8 A variant: "if one grants [the doctrine] about the ripening [of an effected act]". (See Appendix 4.)
9
vikappae.
10 One avoids the necessity of implausible supplementations only if one reads kulana. (See Appendix 4.)
I uncha, actually “gleanings"; women are meant. The line is metrically not in order. Instead of hunti the MSS have hoi and hoti, for which a feminine, say jai, is to be supplemented. (As in Pali uncha='alms', Alsdorf and Bollée (WB).)
12 Together with păsattha, osanna, samsatta, etc., kusila is a well-established expression in the discipline. (See Appendix 4.)
13 Naturally not with his own (Jacobi 1895, p. 273)!
14
For a discussion of this difficult stanza see Bollée 1988, p. 153 (WB).
15
udāsiņam, as in Ayar. 1, 6, 4, 2 which Schubring there (p. 117 above) correctly translated as "who do not [anymore] take sides" (WB).
16 samnisejjā; cp. the note to Vavahara-S. 1, 21. My interpretation of the whole stanza is confirmed by the variant of 16b: "you, wandering monk, abandon this annoying common lodging!" (See Appendix 4.)
17 Literally perhaps: "talked into the state of community" (cp. Ayar. I 40, 22 = 1, 9, 1, 7). It is also possible to take patthuya as meaning prastutavantaḥ, cp. ahiya 1, 1, 8; puttha, Ayar. I 4, 10(1, 1, 4, 6); 5, 28 (1, 1, 7,4). (See Appendix 4.)
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