Part 2 - Transgression of a Śrāvaka’s vow

Q. 202 If a śrāvaka has not renounced the slaughter of a coarse (visible) living being, what does he do when he renounces it later?

A. 202. Gautama! He makes atonement for any such deed done in the past, desists from it in the present and renounces it for the future.

Q. 203. Bhante! While making atonement for slaughter committed in the past, dees he do so by three modes and three means, or by three and two, or three and one, or two and three, or two and two, or two and one, or one and three, or one and two, or one and one?

A. 203. Gautama! It may be by three modes and three means, or three and two, till one and one. When Three and Three, he does not do himself, nor orders, nor approves, by mind, speech and body. When Three and Two, he does not do himself, nor orders, nor approves, by mind and speech, or by mind and body, or by speech and body. When Three and One, he dees not do himself, nor orders, nor approves, by mind, or speech, or body. When Two and Three, he does not do himself, nor orders, by mind, speech and body; or, he does not do himself, nor approves, by mind, speech and body; or he neither orders, nor approves, by mind, speech and body. When Two and Two, he neither does, nor orders, by mind and speech, or by mind and body, or by speech and body; or, he neither does, nor approves, by mind and speech, or by mind and body, or by speech and body; or, he neither orders, nor approves, by mind and speech, or by mind and body, or by speech and body. When Two and One, he neither dees, nor orders, by mind, or by speech, or by body; or, he neither does, nor approves, by mind, or by speech or by body; or, he neither orders, nor approves, by mind, or by speech or by body. When One and Three, be does not do, by mind, by speech and by body; or, he does not order, by mind, by speech and by body; or, he does not approve, by mind, by speech and by body. When One and Two, he does not do, by mind and speech, or by mind and body, or by speech and body; or, he does not order, by mind and speech, or by mind and body, or by speech and body; or, he does not approve, by mind and speech, or by mind and body, or by speech and body. When One and One, he does not do, by mind, or by speech, or by body; or, he does not order, by mind, or by speech, or by body; ox, he does not approve, by mind, or by speech, or by body. (In all, 49 forms.)

Q. 204. Bhante! While desisting in the present, does he desist by three modes and means three?

A. 204 Repeat for desisting in the present the same 49 forms as stated above for atonement for anything done in the past.

Q 205 Bhante! In renouncing for the future, does he renounce by three modes and means three?

A. 205. Gautama! Repeat the same 49 forms.

Q. 206. Bhante! If a follower of the śramāṇa path has not renounced falsehood in general in the beginning, but later when he renounces it, what does he do?

A. 206. Repeat for falsehood the same 147 forms (i.e.. 49x3 for the past, the present and the future) as stated above for slaughter. So also for usurpation, sex behaviour and possession. The followers of the śramaṇa path are all like this; the followers of the ājīvikas are not like this.

The ājīvika way of reasoning is as follows: Every living organism lives on by eating some form of life. So they beat, cut, pierce, scissor, peel, even kill others to acquire food. The following twelve sects have been identified as the followers of the ājīvika way: Tāla, Tālapralamba, Udvidha, Saṃvidha, Avavidha, Udaya, Namodaya, Narmodaya, Anupālaka, Saṅkhapālaka, Ayambula and Kātara. Gosālaka is their prophet and law-giver. They are obedient to their parents. They eat not five types of fruit, viz., umbara fruit, banyan fruit, berry, sattara fruit and pipal fruit. They take not onion, garlic and other roots. They earn their livelihood with the help of oxen who have not been turned into bulls by castration and by piercing of the nose, and injure not any mobile form of life. When even the followers of Gośālaka desist from causing injury to other living beings in earning their livelihood, then, what to speak of the followers of the śramaṇa path who neither perform, nor order, nor approve the following fifteen professions: professions using fire, forest, management of vehicles, transport, plough and spade, teeth, bone and skin lac, hair, liquor and other drinks, opium and other intoxicants, oil press and other pressing machines, castration, lighting wild fire for deforestation, removal of water from lake, tank and pool and running immoral traffic in women. The followers of the śramaṇa path become pure and sanctified by practising vows, restraining from these activities and then, having worthily lived their life on this earth, they find a worthy place in one of the heavens.

Q. 207. Bhante! How many are the abodes of the gods?

A. 207. Gautama! They are four, viz., those for the Bhavanapatis, Vāṇavyantaras, Jyotiṣkas and Vaimāṇikas.

—Bhante! So they are. You are right.

Chapter Five ends.

Notes (based on commentary of Abhayadeva Sūri):

Q. 203. There are three modes, to do, to order, to approve, and three instruments, mind, body and speech. They give nine alternatives as follows:

3 modes and 3 instruments, 3 modes and 2 instruments,
3 modes and 1 instrument, 2 modes and 3 instruments,
2 modes and 2 instruments, 2 modes and 1 instrument,
1 mode and 3 instruments, 1 mode and- 2 instruments,
1 mode and 1 instrument, tota1 9.

Through permutation and combination, they take 49 forms. Multiply them by 3, past, present and future, and this gives 147 forms. This much for each kiriya, so that for five, the total will be 735 forms.

Q. 206. The word karmādāna implies deeds which give karma bondage. The list containing 15 items shows the line of business prohibited for the Jainas. The list includes virtually everything, even the use of machinery, the only important exceptions being money-lending and acting as a broker or middleman.