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Dikșă: Consecration
455
impudent disciple who has no respect for his guru is issued a warning: he is like a man who flings himself in the fire, or teases a venomous snake or swallows some poison; without doubt, in all three cases, his life is in danger. The text pursues the comparison by saying that the danger is indeed so great for the arrogant disciple that he has no chance of being saved, for:
It may happen that the fire docs not burn, it may happen that the serpent docs not bite, it may happen that the mortal poison does not kill, [but) after an insult to the guru (there is] no mokşa.29
By way of contrast, it is said of those who are obedient disciples that their knowledge "grows like a well-watered tree,"30 Vinaya is the attitude with which the vairāgini listens rcspccifully to the guruņi's instruction, learns and knows the doctrine and thus remains on the right path.31 She is urged to be attentive to the words and gestures of the guruņi, to be prompt in her service and to treat with respect the members of the samgha who are senior to herself, even when they are younger in years.32 This chapter gives evidence of a delicate knowledge of psychology on its author's part; it is expressed with a certain charm that lightens, as it were, the austerity of its contents and renders them almost agreeable. It is of prime importance that the vairāgiņis and young sadhvis should assimilate the teaching of this
29 siyā hu se pāvaya no dahejjā āsiviso vā kuvio na bhakkhe
siya visam hälahalam na mare na yavi mokkho guruhilanae. DS IX. 1. 7. This appears excessive and could lead, in certain circumstances, to an abuse of authority, but there is here chiefly a question of imagery in language, which belongs in this case to another age than our own and is aiming at inculcating a sense of discipline.
30 ...tesim sikkhā pavaddhasti jalasitta iva pāyavā. DS IX, 2, 12. Cf. US I, 2; XI, 10-13 which speaks of the ascelic as being vinita and suvinita: modest, humble, having good manners.
31 Cf. DS IX, 1, 12-13; 2, 16; US XI, 4-5.
32 Seniority is reckoned from the date of dikşă. Cf. DS IX, 3, 1-3, where the 33 infringements of the rules of propriely, politeness and respect which the young muni must observe towards the ācārya are listed.
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