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अध्याय-९
pūrvā - and the other is by one's effort - kusalamūlā. The involuntary dissociation on the fruition of karmas, common to the four conditions of existence such as the infernal beings, gives rise to a chain of bondage (bandha) of inauspicious kind. Dissociation by conquest of afflictions is by one's own effort. It gives rise to a chain of bondage (bandha) of auspicious kind or to no bondage. Reflection on the merits and demerits of dissociation (nirjarā) is contemplation of dissociation - nirjarānupreksā. This impels one to destroy karmas. The structure of the universe (loka) has been described already. The universe is in the midst of the non-universe-space-alokākāśa - which is endless. The contemplation of the nature of the universe is lokānupreksā. Such contemplation increases the purity of knowledge. In one minute-living-body-nigodaśarira – there are organisms (jīva) infinite times the emancipated souls. Thus the entire universe is densely filled with one-sensed beings with no interspace. To become a being with more than one sense is as difficult as finding out a very small piece of diamond buried in the sands of an ocean. Even among these, most are endowed with imperfect (less than five senses. Hence, birth as a five-sensed being is as rare as the quality of gratitude among the good qualities. And even among the five-sensed beings, most belong to the animal world such as the cow, the deer, the bird, the serpent, etc. Hence the attainment of human birth is as difficult as finding a heap of jewels at the crossing of the roads. On completion of life as a human being, to attain the human birth yet again is as difficult as it is for the burnt parts - leaves and branches-of a tree to regain the mode (paryāya) of the tree. If somehow the human birth is attained again, a good country, a good family, keen senses, health, etc., are more and more difficult of attainment. When all these are attained, if true faith is not acquired, human birth becomes useless, like the face without vision. And even after attaining this rare true faith if anyone is immersed in worldly pleasures, it is like burning sandalwood paste for the sake of ash. If somehow one is able to renounce worldly pleasures, the adoption of austerities, observance of virtues, and auspicious death, are extremely rare. Only on attainment of all these,
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