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CHAPTER VII, 6-1X, 5.
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does not obtain a release from hell. 5. Because duties and good works' attain to the soul on those occasions when they perform them with the authority of the high-priests and those acquainted with the religion, and when they give them one-tenth of those good works.
CHAPTER IX. 1. The ninth subject is this, that it is necessary to practise abstinence from committing or permitting unnatural intercourses 2. For this is the chief of all sins in the religion: there is no worse sin than this in the good religion, and it is proper to call those who commit it worthy of death in reality.
3. If any one comes forth to them, and shall see them in the act, and is working with an axe", it is requisite for him to cut off the heads or to rip up the bellies of both, and it is no sin for him. 4. But it is not proper to kill any person without the authority of high-priests and kings, except on account of committing or permitting unnatural intercourse.
5. For it says in revelation that unnatural intercourse is on a par with Aharman, with Afrâsiyâb”, with Dahâk 5, with Târ-i Brâdar-vakhsh 6 who slew
1 That is, the merit of performing them.
? The principles of blind submission of the laity to the priesthood, and complete abnegation of private judgment, which pervade the whole of the Sad Dar, are especially conspicuous in this chapter. They are the ideas prevalent in the darkest ages of the religion, which have now nearly disappeared with the spread of true knowledge as in other faiths.
3 Ghulâm bâragi u mûagari. * B29, J15 have takes a look,' and J15 adds ‘he shall kill them.' * See Mkh. VIII, 29 n.
* One of five brothers of the Karap tribe (see Byt. II, 3, Dd. LXXII, 8). .
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