Mahaviras Word

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

Page 66

The Lotus (Süyagada II 1.)
47
as the succeeding [is] so (was) the preceding. That is how it is! Those have not renounced 46. they are not willing: (they will be) repeatedly so. Those, now, who live in a house carry out
activity (and) ownership, even some wandering brothers and monks who carry out activity [and] ownership-in both cases they are committing wrong: on the basis of such a deliberation a monk should conduct himself according to the saying:
'at both ends deficient?! 47. in the east, west, north (or) south. Truly, I say:12 thus has he recognized the deeds [as inju
rious), thus the deeds have left him, thus has he put an end—this is what has been said.73 48. On this occasion, for the purpose (of the knowledge of the six forms of life, the Lord pro
pounded the class of earth beings, [those of the water beings, those of the fire beings, those of the wind beings, those of the plant beings and] those of the [independently) moving [animals): exactly as it is not nice to me if, with a stick, a bone, (74) fist, a clod of earth or a potsherd, I am wounded, struck, threatened, beaten, hurt, hit hard or killed-(yes, even if just a hair of mine is pulled out I feel vividly the injury which causes (me) suffering and fear [of it)—so too, know [this] all higher beings, all plants, all lower animals, all other living beings if wounded ... or killed with a stick ..., [indeed] even if just a hair of theirs is pulled out,feel vividly the injury which causes (them) suffering and fear (of it). If one has recognized this, then [it is certain that) no higher being, no plant, no lower animal, no other
69 I.e., the future form of existence corresponds to the present mode of life. Cp. the same words in Ayır. I 16, 2.
70 Literally: "rightly (so]!” But the three sentences are indeed merely a rhetorical question, answer and confirmation.
7 With "both ends" birth and death are to be understood; this expression is impossible for love and hate, or activity and ownership (thus Šil.). Induced by duhao, we have either a quotation of a verse fragment also appearing in Ayār. I 15, 27 (= sū. 116, 1917 ed.); 14,4 (= sū. 110), or it itself, see there.
1. To me there is no doubt that these words belong here indeed, instead of before the directions. "Siti-m-akkhāyam, the same below 2, 79; 3, 2, etc.
74 See Bollée 2002, $ 806 under athi-juddha, for which also 'fighting with the knees' was proposed, but obviously bones were also used as weapons (WB).
The speaker forgets that this case can apply for only one or two of the mentioned classes of beings.