Mahaviras Word

Author(s): Walther Shubring
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 52

1.
1. The Lotus (Suyagaḍa II 1.)
I have heard, o venerable one, that the Lord has spoken thus [as follows]. Here [is] now the section of the teaching called "The Lotus". The following content [is] known of it.
2.
[Let us set up] for example, a lotus pond with quite a lot of water, sludge and lotus 3. plants [i.e.,] a lotus lake, as it should be: friendly, charming, beautiful [and] nice. In this lotus pond [there are], as we assume, here and there, in every spot, everywhere, lots of lotus plants with wonderful blossoms, jutting up straight, long stemmed, pleasing, nice in colour, rich in fragrance, pleasant to the taste,' comforting to sensation, friendly, charming, beauti4. ful [and] nice. In this lotus pond [there is now], as we assume,' right in the middle a large lotus with a wonderful blossom, [it too] jutting up straight, long stemmed, pleasing... [and] 5. nice. ([Other transmit instead of 3:] In this whole lotus pond... [and instead of 4:] in this 6. whole lotus pond...). Now, [once] a man from the east came here to this lotus pond, and when he stood still at the bank of this lotus pond, he saw that large lotus with its wonderful blossom, [how it stood there] jutting up straight... Then the man said this [to himself]: 'I am an expert, experienced, learned, educated wise one, not an imprudent man, one who is on the [right] path, who knows the [right] path, who knows how one goes on the [right] path and proceeds forwards. I want to pluck that wonderful lotus.' With this intention (speaking thus) the man went into the lotus pond. [But] the further he went in the more [there was] deep water, deep sludge; he was away from the bank [but] he did not have the wonderful
'On puskarini, a pond with especially blue lotus plants (Nelumbo nucifera), pundartka, a pond especially with white lotus plants (Nelumbium speciosum); and padma, the white lotus flower, see Syed 1990, pp. 667ff., 662ff., and 656ff. respectively. Nelumbium is a spring flower and Nelumbo blooms in autumn (WB). 2 Literally: "are narrated" (buiya).
3 Not in the right place; the series of the sense organs in question is unrolled mechanically. (See the addition to this in Appendix 4 for the lotus plants.)
4 This is also not in the right place; anupuvv 'utthiya can indeed only refer to many plants.