Mahaviras Word

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

Page 97

Mahavira's Words by Walther Schubring
also) known to some: 'I have an I that is subjected to rebirth; he who has one after the other wandered through these main or side routes, (yes) all main or side routes, (67) that I am.' He believes (then) in an I, in a world, in the (repercussion of all] acts and in the freedom of the will.") (Since he believes in these he says:) 'I want to act, I want to cause
to act, and I want approve of him who acts here.' 1,15 All these activities through acts in the world have to be recognized [as being injurious).
But such a person has not recognized the acts [as being injurious] who has wandered through these main or side routes, who has to do with all these main or side routes, who
moves between starting points of various kinds, experiences many influences. 20 Here, then, has been announced by the Lord, the insight [of the uselessness of the
demonstration of praise, attention and respect towards this life so that the freedom
from birth and death takes place, and thereby suffering be controlled. All these activities through acts in the world have to be recognized (as being injurious). He who [however) has recognized these activities through acts in world [as something injurious), is a wise one, who has recognized the acts (as being injurious]. So I say.*7
[1.] The world is wretched, decrepit (and thereby] unteachable, ignorant! In this much tormented world beings abide in (many) individual abodes; everywhere in (many) individual cases, see, [beings] cause pain, who [themselves) feel pain.
Ashamed in (many) individual cases, see, ([are) some, and confess: "we are
houseless ones".) If one, now, with tools of different kinds, through activities 10 with acts towards the earth (water, fire, plants, animals, wind) in which one acts against
the earth (water, fire, plants, animals, wind) with a tool, injures other beings of different
2,4
kinds,
On these beliefs see, e.g., Parikh 1991, pp. 175ff. (WB).
The form akarissam, changed to ya karissam in my edition (see Appendix 1), can be retrieved from Thān. 137a 9 (of the 1918 ed.): akarimsu vā 'ham karemi va 'ham.
'For the asterisk (*) here and 3, 5 see footnote 12 below. (For "ignorant" in the next line see Gopalan 1986, p. 138, and for "individual abodes" in the line after this see Bollée 1988, p. 54 (WB).)
These variations here are taken in advance. In the text they are spread out in uddesas 3.-7 according to the apparent content of the stanza (see my edition, p. 57), whereby 2, 7f. is mistakenly included. These pieces in between are taken note of in the translation with the sign "S".