Sutrakritanga (English translation)
by Hermann Jacobi | 1895 | 52,880 words | ISBN-10: 8120801466 | ISBN-13: 9788120801462
The English translation of the Sutrakritanga, which represents the second Agama of the 12 Angas in Shevatambara Jainism. It is traditionally dated to the 4th-century BCE and consists of two parts (verse and prose) explaining various doctrinal aspects of Jainism. Alternative titles: Sūtrakṛtāṅga (सूत्रकृताङ्ग), Sūtrakṛta-aṅga (सूत्रकृत-अङ्ग), Prakr...
Lecture 1, Chapter 4
These (philosophers) who are vanquished (by their passions) cannot help you in cases where a sinner perishes[1]; though having given up their former occupations they will give advice in worldly matters. (1)
A wise monk who fully appreciates this, should not mix with those (heretics); without conceit and not attached to them a sage should lead a life equally removed (from love and hate). (2)
Some say that those who own possessions and engage in undertakings (may reach perfection); but a monk should take his refuge to those who neither own possessions nor engage in undertakings. (3)
A wise man should beg food which has been prepared (for somebody else), and he should accept what is freely given him, without greed and passions; he should abstain from overbearing behaviour[2]. (4)
He should know the talk of people: some say things which are the outcome of a wrong understanding and are but opinions of others repeated. (5)
'The world is boundless and eternal, it exists from eternity and does not perish[3]; (another) bold philosopher[4] says that the world is limited, but eternal. (6)
‘Some say that the knowledge (of the highest authority) is unlimited; but the same bold philosopher says that it is limited in every way[5].’ (7)
Some beings have motion, others not; it depends on certain conditions whether they are in the one state or in the other. (8)
(E. g. big creatures) have one form of bodily existence and then another[6]. But all are subject to pain; hence they should not be killed. (9)
This is the quintessence of wisdom: not to kill anything. Know this to be the legitimate conclusion from the principle of the reciprocity with regard to non-killing[7]. (10)
Living (according to the rules of conduct), and without greed, one should take care of the highest good[8].
In walking, in sitting and lying down, and in food and drink: with regard to these three points a monk should always control himself.
And he should leave off pride[9], wrath[10], deceit[11], and greed[12]. (11, 12)
Possessing the Samitis and being protected by the five Saṃvaras, a pious monk should live, till he reaches perfection, as a man free from fetters among those bound in fetters (viz. the householders). (13)
Thus I say.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
A various reading first commented upon by Śīlāṅka is: bālā paṇḍitamāṇiṇo, being ignorant men who fancy themselves learned.
[2]:
Omāṇa = apamāna.
[3]:
[4]:
[5]:
The commentators interpret this verse as if not two philosophical opinions but only one was spoken of. Unlimited knowledge is according to them different from omniscience; in the second part of the sentence 'limited' refers to the sleep of Brahman during which he is unconscious.
[6]:
Men are some time embryos, then young men, then old men.
[7]:
[12]:
Majjhattha = madhyastha, lobha. Compare the similar expressions in I, 1, 2, 12, above, p. 241, notes 1-4, and I, 2, 2, 29, below, p. 257.