________________
116
SOME JAINA CANONICAL SUTRAS The lot of man is transitory and precarious. His life does not last long. He finds no delight in domestic life. 1 Pleasures bring only a moment's happiness. But suffering for a long time brings intense suffering and no happiness. Pleasures are an obstacle to the liberation from existence, and are a mine of evils. The soul cannot be apprehended by the senses because it possesses no corporeal form and since it has no corporeal form, it is eternal. The fetter of the soul has been traced to its bad qualities and this fetter is described as the cause of worldly existence. Being ignorant. of the Law human beings formerly did sinful actions and through their wrong-mindedness they could not enter the Order. Mankind is harassed by death. It is taken bold of by old age. The day that goes hy will never return. He who has acquired righteousness may look upon death as his friend.3 Faith will enable him to put aside attachment.4 The pleasures are causes for the continuance of worldly existence. One should be cautions in this matter. He should learn the Law thoroughly, practise severe penance, being of firm energy.
A inan of limited knowledge talks foolishly on these four heads: the existence of the soul, it's non-existence, idolatry, and the inefficiency of knowledge. The man who commits sin will go to hell but those who have walked the road of righteousness will obtain a place in heaven. One should live and walk about according to the rules of self-control.
Soul (jīva), the inanimate things (ajīvu), the binding of the soul by karma (bandha), morit (punya), demerit (pāpa), that which causes the soul to be affected by sins (āśruva), the prevention of sins by watchfulness (samvara), annihilation of karmu (karmaksuya) and final deliverance (mokşa) are the nine truths.?
Faith is produced by nature (nisarga), instruction (upadeśa), command (ājñā), study of the sūtras, suggestion (bāja), comprehension of the mea
comprehension of the meaning of the sacred lore (abhigama)," complete course of study (vistāra), religious
1 Uttarādhyayana, XIV, 7.
2 lbid., XIV, 13. 3 Ibid., xiv, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 26, 27.
1 lbid., XIV, 28. 5 Ibid., XIV, 47.
8 Ibid., XIV, 49-50. 7 Ibid., XXVIII, 14. This is known as the Navatattva or the doctrine of nine terms, which roprosents the main system of Jainism. Jiva and ujiva comprehend the world of existence as known and experionced. The world of lifo is represented by the six classes of living beings, while tho movable things are tho fire lives, wind livos, and those with an organic body. Samvara is the principle of self-control by which the influx of sins is checked. The category of samvara comprehends tho wholo sphero of right conduct.
