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VIMALANĀTHACARITRA
107 king or cakrabhrt or an Indra is not hard to attain; but enlightenment by the teaching of the Jinas is very hard to attain. All the states 152 have been attained formerly by all souls endless times; enlightenment certainly has not been attained because of the sight of wandering through births. When infinite modifications of matter of all creatures of whose time in material existence less than half remains have taken place here, when the remainder of all karmas has a duration within a crore of crores (of sägaras), some gain the best enlightenment by splitting the knot of karma.168 Others, though having reached the border of the knot by means of the yathāpravsttikaraṇa,154 stop there and wander through another birth.
Listening to evil teachings, association with wrongbelievers, wrong knowledge from memory, practice of negligence—these are enemies of enlightenment. Even though the acquisition of right-conduct is said to be difficult, nevertheless it bears fruit in the attainment of enlightenment. Otherwise, it is fruitless. Even souls incapable of emancipation who have attained right-conduct are born up to (and including) the Graiveyakas. Without enlightenment they do not attain emancipation. If the jewel of enlightenment has not been attained, a cakravartin is like a poor man. A poor man who has attained the jewel of enlightenment is superior to him. Souls who have attained enlightenment are not attached to any birth. Free from self-interest they attain only the road to emancipation, unhindered.”
After hearing the Lord's sermon people in general became mendicants, Svayambhū adopted right-belief and Śīrabhst laymanship. The Lord completed his sermon at the end of the first division of the day. Then in the same way the chief of the gaṇabhrts, Mandara, delivered one.
162 205. I.e., modifications of karma. 168 206. See I, p. 203 and 1. 255. 164 208. See I, n. 255.
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