Book Title: Tattvartha Sutra
Author(s): Vijay K Jain
Publisher: Vikalp Printers

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Page 304
________________ Tattvārthasūtra (avadya). The blemishes of injury (himsā), etc., lead to calamity (apāya) and reproach (avadya) in this life and in the next. This is now explained. Injury (himsā) - He who commits violence or himsā is always agitated and afflicted, and is actuated by a sense of animosity. He is subjected to pain, imprisonment and suffering in this world. And, after death, he takes an inauspicious birth. He is censured by all. It is, therefore, good to give up injury (hiņsā) or violence. Falsehood (anrta) - The person who speaks lies becomes untrustworthy. In this world he is meted out punishment such as the cutting off of the tongue. He is also subjected to torture by the vindictive persons who have been afflicted by his lies. After death, he is plunged into a miserable rebirth, and is despised by all. Hence it is good to renounce falsehood (anrta). Stealing (steva) – The thief, intent on depriving others of their possessions, is condemned by all. In this world he is beaten, given blows, put in bonds, and subjected to mutilation of hand, leg, ear, tongue, upper lip, and so on. His property is confiscated. And after death he takes an inauspicious birth and becomes despicable. Therefore it is good to desist from stealing (steya). Unchastity (abrahma) - The mind of the unchaste person is ever agitated by lustful passion and amorous excitement. As the infatuated wild elephant, tricked by the female elephant, loses control over self and suffers blows, bonds and other torments, the same is the situation of the person agitated by lustful passion. Being infatuated, he is unable to discriminate between the good and the evil. And he is not able to do anything right or proper. Due to his lustful intercourse with other women, in this life itself, he is subjected to hatred and enmity, mutilation of the genital, blows, bonds and confiscation of property. After death, he takes a low birth and becomes despicable. Therefore it is good to desist from incontinence or unchastity (abrahma). Attachment-to-possessions (parigraha) - The man with possessions is assailed by robbers, just as the vulture with a piece of meat in its beak is attacked by other birds. He also contracts many evils in the course of his efforts to earn and safeguard wealth. Like the fire which consumes any quantity of fuel, he does not find contentment with any amount of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272

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