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LEEN
UT180
CHAPTER XI, 189-215.
CAUR you should observe that it is as it were acting unreasonably, in the mode of him who gives poison to mankind for the sake of increasing the value and price of an antidote, (203) so that he may sell the antidote dearer and more costly. 204. To what is this intermeddling action owing, that, for the sake of an understanding of the value of the goodness of other things, he allows pain, death, and misery in some one else?
205. Again, as to that which a multitude of them say, that the sacred being is a ruler over every creature and creation, (206) because his creations are all his own. 207. And he acts about them as is desirable for him, because it is desirable for him, and he is not a causer of distress. 208. Since distress is that which they inflict upon anything that is not their own, (209) then he who, all things being his own, acts about them as is desirable for him, is not a causer of distress!. 210. As to that you should know that, if, on account of sovereignty, he who occasions distress is not to be called a causer of distress, (211) that is as though even he who is a sovereign and tells a lie is speaking truthfully, (212) and he who, on account of sovereignty, commits crime, sin, theft, and plunder is not to be called a sinner. 213. Such as that which the glorified Rôshan?, son of Atūr-frôbag, related as a parable (ânguni-aitak), (214) that they saw a man who was defiling an ass, (215) when they enquired of him
1 Compare Rom. ix. 20, 21 : Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, “Why hast thou made me thus ?" Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour?'
See Chap. X, 53.
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