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Gaina Sutras, Part II (SBE45) [1895], at sacred-texts.com


SEVENTEENTH LECTURE.

THE BAD SRAMANA.

A Nirgrantha who has entered the order, who has learned the Law, who has received religious

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discipline, and who has obtained the benefit of Bôdhi which is difficult to obtain, may perhaps afterwards begin to live as he likes. (1)

(He will say:) I have a good bed and wherewithal to cover me; I obtain food and drink; I know everything that comes to pass, friend; why then should I study, sir? (2)

He who, after entering the order, always sleeps, eats, and drinks as much as he likes, and lives comfortably, is called a bad Sramana. (3)

The sinner who despises the learning and discipline which his preceptor and teachers have taught him, is called a bad Sramana. (4)

He who does not, as he should, strive to please his preceptor and teachers, and does not, in his arrogance, treat them with respect, is called a bad Sramana. (5)

He who hurts living beings, seeds, and sprouts, who does not control himself, though he believes himself well-controlled, is called a bad Sramana. (6)

He who uses a bed, a plank, a chair, a seat, or his duster 1, without having well wiped these things, is called a bad Sramana. (7)

He who walks with great haste and without care, being overbearing and fierce, is called a bad Sramana. (8)

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He who carelessly inspects things 1, throwing down his duster at random, not being attentive to the inspection of things, is called a bad Sramana. (9)

He who carelessly inspects things, his attention being absorbed by what he hears, who always slights his teachers, is called a bad Sramana. (to)

He who is deceitful, talkative, arrogant, greedy, who does not control himself, nor share (his food, &c. with those who are in want), and is not of an amiable disposition, is called a bad Sramana. (11)

He who is a controversialist, and ill-behaved, who perverts the truth, and delights in quarrels and contentions, is called a bad Sramana. (12)

He who sits down on a weak, shaking seat wherever he lists, and is not careful in sitting down, is called a bad Sramana. (13)

He who sleeps with dusty feet and does not inspect his couch, being careless about his bed, is called a bad Sramana. (14)

He who eats milk, curds, and other things produced from milk, and does not practise austerities, is called a bad Sramana. (15)

He who eats after sunset, and when admonished, makes an angry reply, is called a bad Sramana. (16)

He who leaves his own teacher, and follows heretical ones, who continuously changes his school 2, being of a bad disposition, is called a bad Sramana. (17)

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He who has left his own house, and busies himself in another's house, who lives by fortune-telling, is called a bad Sramana. (18)

He who eats the food of his relations, and does not like living by alms 1, who reposes on the seat of the householder, is called a bad Sramana. (19)

Such a monk, who, like the heretics 2, does not protect himself from sins, who though having the appearance (of a monk) is the lowest among his worthy brethren, is despised in this world like poison; he is nobody in this world and in that beyond. (20)

But he who always avoids these sins, and is pious amongst his brethren, is welcomed in this world like nectar; he conquers this world and the next 3. (21)

Thus I say.


Footnotes

78:1 Pâdakambala, usually called ragôharana. One commentator suggests, as a possible rendering, pâtrakambala 'a cloth to cover his almsbowl.'

79:1 It is a monk's duty closely to inspect everything that he uses or comes in contact with, in order to avoid hurting inadvertently anything considered to possess life. This is called padilêhâ.

79:2namganika, according to the commentators one who attaches himself to another gana every half-year.

80:1 Sâmudâniya, explained bhaiksham.

80:2 Pañkakusîla, literally, those who practise the five wrong sîlas, whereby probably those are denoted who do not keep the five great vows of the Gainas. Note that the Buddhists too have their pañkasîla. They could therefore have been called pañkakusîla by the Gainas.

80:3 The text is not settled in the last line; but there can be no doubt about the meaning.


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