Mahaviras Word

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

Page 65

Mahāvira's Words by Walther Schubring
The following [however) affects [us even) more directly: [A person says:] 'I have hands, feet, arms, chest, abdomen, head, mentality, life, energy, colour, skin, complexion, ear, eye, nose, tongue [and] feeling.' He is proud of what for him perishes in old age: of life ... feeling. (For,] a joint in good condition will become loose; the body will become wavy on account of wrinkles, the black hair will become grey: this natural body built up on nourishment, when its turn comes, has to be left behind. Out of such a deliberation (that person]6% decided on the way of alms.
A monk should recognize the world as twofold, namely, (as made up of] sentient [beings] and insentient [things), [and the former of independently) moving and (independently] non43. moving (beings). Those in the world who live in a house carry out activity (and) ownership;
even some wandering brothers and monks carry out activity (and) ownership. [Activity: because they themselves act against the creatures which are (independently) moving and
(independently] non-moving (injuriously), have another act [injuriously against them) and 44. approve of it when another acts [injuriously against them). Those in this world who live in
a house carry out activity (and) ownership; even some wandering brothers and monks carry out activity (and) ownership. (Ownership: because) they themselves make as their own the
pleasures directed at sentience or insentience, have another make (them) his own and ap45. prove of it when another makes (them) his own. [Yes) truly: those in this world who live
in a house carry out activity (and) ownership; even some wandering brothers and monks carry out activity (and) ownership. I, in truth, am without activity and ownership. Those, now, who live in a house carry out activity (and) ownership, even some wandering brothers and monks who carry out activity [and] ownership—with regard to these we want to live a pious life. (But] what leads us to it? As the preceding (was] so [is] the succeeding, [and]
67 In the edition jamsi seems to be an old mistake for jam se (Sil. yat kimcit; C jassim ... mamāti, tassi[m] ... jhürati). The following ablatives are under the influence of vayāo for nominatives.
* se bhikkhū before bhikkhāyariyāe is not in the right place. Whoever is already a monk need not have to decide about monastic life (bhikkhāyariyā). On the other hand, it is quite improbable that the speaker glides into the new section of his discourse without a sentence end with the help of a participial expression. I am therefore putting a full stop after samutthie and beginning anew: se bhikkhu duhao .... (Above "right place" Schubring noted in his personal copy: "cf. Ayār. p. 139 of the edition." This could not be found (WB).)