Ratna Karanda Sravakachara
By Acharya Samantabhadra
Translated by Champat Rai Jain
PART I
1 I bow to Sri Vardhaman Mahavira, who has washed off [all] the impurities of sin [i.e., karmas] from His soul and whose knowledge reflects [i.e., embraces] the entire lokaloka.
2. Which frees souls from the pain and misery of embodied existence and installs them in supreme bliss, that excellent karma-destroying dharma (creed) I preach [unto you].
3. The Masters have described the Path (to nirvana) to consist in Right Faith, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct, whose antitheses [i.e., wrong beliefs, wrong knowledge and wrong conduct] are the causes which prolong the bondage of souls.
4. To believe, by fulfilling the eight requirements of true belief and without the three kinds of error and eight kinds of pride, in the true God, Scripture and Preceptor, the causes of the highest good [i.e., moksa], is called Right Faith.
5. In the nature of things the true God should be free from the faults and weaknesses of the lower nature; [he should be] the knower of all things and the revealer of dharma; in no other way can divinity be constituted.
6. He alone is free from hunger, thirst, senility, disease, birth, death, fear, pride, attachment, aversion, infatuation, worry, conceit, hatred, uneasiness, sweat, sleep and surprise is called a God.
7. He who is the enjoyer of the highest status, who is of unsurpassed splendour, who is free from all kinds of desires and impurities of sin, who is endowed with omniscience, and devoid of beginning, end and middle [i.e., personal aims and ambitions], and who is a friend of all kinds of living beings-such a Teacher is called hitopadesi.
8. Just as a drum gives out sound in consequence of the contact of the drummer's hand, but without any desire on its own part, so does the Teacher reveal the truth without any personal motives of his own.
9. That alone in true Scripture which is the word of a Tirthamkara, which cannot be over-ridden in disputation, nor falsified by perception, reason or testimony, which reveals the nature of things, which is helpful to men, animals and all other kinds of beings, and which is potent enough to destroy all forms of falsehood.
10. That Preceptor is praiseworthy who has no desires for sensual pleasures, who has renounced all worldly occupations and possessions and who is always absorbed in study, meditation and self-contemplation.
11. The nature of substances is as is described therein, is exactly as described, is not different, nor even otherwise-this kind of unshakable faith, steady like the unwavering lustre of the sharp edge of a sword, in the Jaina Siddhanta is [that first limb of Right
Faith and is] called nih-sankita anga.
12. Entertaining no desire for sensual enjoyment, knowing it to be hopelessly dependent on karmas, transient, involving trouble in its procurement and the seed of sin, is the [second limb of Right Faith called the] nihkankshita.
13. To love the virtuous for their excellent qualities without feeling disgust with their bodies, which, though impure by nature in all cases, are purified in their case by the triple jewels, i.e. Right Faith, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct, is described as
nirvichikitsita [the third limb of Right Faith].
14. Non-recognition of the authority of false creeds which can only lead to pain, and of those who are established therein, by thought, deed or word, in [the fourth limb of Right Faith, and is] known as the amudhadrishti anga.
15. To remove the ridicule raised by ignorant [and] incompetent men on the naturally pure path of Jainism is [the fifth anga and Right Faith, and is] known as upaguhana.
16. The re-establishing therein, on the part of the lovers of Truth, of those who are wavering in Right Faith of Conduct, is called sthitikarana [the sixth anga of Right Faith] by the wise.
17. Entertaining love and proper respect for one's co-religionist with mental purity, and not from crooked motives, is called vatsalya [the seventh limb of Right Faith].
18. To establish the glory of the Jaina Siddhanta by removing in all suitable ways, the dense clouds of ignorance is prabhavana [the eighth anga of Right Faith].
19-20. Anjana thief in the first anga, then Anantamati are remembered; Uddayana in the third and Revati in the fourth are considered [most excellent]. Then Jinendrabhakta, after that Varisen, and Visnu Kumar and Vajra Kumar [respectively] in the remaining [two i.e., seventh and the eighth angas of Right Faith] have attained to fame.
21. As an incomplete mantra (magical formula) is powerless to remove the pain and suffering arising from venom, so is the faith which is imperfect in its limbs not able to pierce the line of [repeated] births [i.e., is not able to obtain emancipation for the
soul].
22. Bathing in [the so-called sacred] rivers and oceans, setting up heaps of sand and stones [as objects of worship], immolating oneself by falling from a precipice or by being burnt up in fire (as in sati) are (some of the) common murhatas (follies).
23. The worshipping, with desire, to obtain favour, of deities whose minds are full of personal likes and dislikes is called the folly of devotion to false divinity.
24. Know that to be guru-murhata which consists in the worshipping of false ascetics revolving in the wheel of samsara [births and deaths], who have neither renounced worldly goods, nor occupations nor himsa (causing injury to others).
25. The sages who have crushed out all traces of pride from their souls describe mada (pride) as the intoxication of self in respect of eight particulars: (i)_ learning, (ii) worship, (iii) family, (iv) tribe, (v) power, (vi) affluence or accomplishments, (vii) religious austerity and (viii) person.
26. That conceited person who is led by his pride to show disrespect to virtuous men, in reality, destroys his own faith, because in the absence of those who put it into practice dharma cannot have an existence.
27. If there be cessation of sin, other things-wealth, property etc., -- are not heeded (sinlessness being the source of bliss itself) but if the influx of sin still continue, then what purpose can be served by wealth and the like.
28. The Propounders of dharma describe even a low caste man possessing Right Faith as a divine being likening him to the invisible radiant splendour of a live charcoal lying hidden beneath a heap of ashes.
29. A dog becomes a deva and a deva becomes a dog from virtue and vice respectively: from dharma living beings obtain even such prosperity as is indescribable in words.
30. He who is purified by Right Faith should not salute or show reverence to a false deity, scripture and preceptor, even from fear, expectation of good, attachment or greed.
31. Right Faith is entitled to precedence over knowledge and conduct, because it acts as a pilot in guiding the soul towards nirvana.
32. Just as one cannot have a tree in the absence of a seed, in the same way it is not possible to have the origination, continuance, growth (or increase) and fruition of [Right] Knowledge and [Right] Conduct without acquiring the Right Faith in the first instance.
33. The householder, whose interior is illumined with Right Faith follows the `path'; but the ascetic involved in wrong beliefs is nowhere near it: for this reason the `enlightened' householder is considered superior to an ascetic devoid of true faith.
34. In the three periods of time and the three worlds, there is nothing more auspicious than Right Faith for the living beings, nor anything more inauspicious than a false conviction.
35. Those whose mind is illumined with Right Faith may not observe vows, yet are they not re-born in hell or the lower grades of life: [they escape from] neuter and female sexes [as well as from birth in], a low family, physical deformity and short life: nor are they overtaken by poverty.
36. Those whose hearts have been purified by Right Faith become the lords of splendour, energy, wisdom, prowess, fame, wealth, victory and greatness; they are born in high families and possess the ability to realise the highest ideals [dharma (religion), artha (wealth), kama (enjoyment) and moksha (salvation)] of life: they are the best of men.
37. Those who have the Right Faith are born in the heaven-worlds where they become the devotees of Lord Jinendra, and, endowed with eight kinds of miraculous powers and great splendour, enjoy themselves for long millenniums [here very great periods of time] in the company of devas and devangnas.
38. Those who are endowed with Right Faith are attended upon by great emperors and kings; they acquire all the most wonderful things in the world; the entire earth comes under their sway, and they are competent to command all men.
39. By virtue of Right Faith men acquire the supreme status of a Tirthamkara, the Master who knows all things well, whose feet are worshipped by the Rulers of devas, Lords of asuras and kings of men, as well as by holy saints, who is the support of dharma and the protector of all living beings in the three worlds.
40. They who take refuge in Right Faith (finally) attain to the Supreme Seat, i.e. moksa, which is free from old age, disease, destruction, disease, grief, fear and doubt, and implies unqualified perfection in respect of wisdom and bliss and freedom from all kinds of impurities of karma.
41. The bhavya, who follows the creed of the Holy Tirthamkaras, acquires the immeasurable glory of deva-life, and the discus of a chakravarti, before whom kings and rulers of men prostrate themselves, and, attaining to the supremely worshipful status of
Godhood, [finally also] reaches nirvana.
PART II
CHARACTERISTICS OF RIGHT KNOWLEDGE
42. That which reveals the nature of things neither insufficiently, nor with exaggeration, nor falsely, but exactly as it is, and with certainty, that the knowers of Scripture call Right Knowledge.
43. [One of the departments of] Right Knowledge is prathamanuyoga, which deals with the ideals [dharma (religion), artha (wealth), kama (enjoyment) and moksha (salvation)] of the soul, and which, proceeding from the standpoint of virtue, describes the lives of great men, and is a treasury of useful knowledge and subjects for meditation.
44. Right Knowledge also embraces karananuyoga, which enables one to perceive, as if in a mirror, the divisions of space and the changes of time as well as the four conditions of life.
45. Right Knowledge also embraces charnanuyoga, which specifically deals with the subject of commencement, development and maintenance of conduct prescribed for laymen and ascetics.
46. Dravanuyaga [the fourth department of Right Knowledge] illumines, like a lamp, the true tattvas (essential principles) -- jiva, ajiva, etc., -- virtue, vice, bondage and freedom, as well as amplifies [or intensifies] the light of Sruta jnana (knowledge derived
from meditation of study).
PART III
NECESSITY FOR THE ADOPTION OF RIGHT CONDUCT
47. To whom Right Knowledge has accrued by virtue of the acquisition of Right Faith, on the destruction of the darkness of faith-obstructing infatuation, that excellent soul begins to practice the rules of Right Conduct, to be rid of personal likes and dislikes [that is, to attain to the state of desirelessness].
48. From the destruction of the elements of love and hatred are destroyed the five kinds of sin, himsa and the like, for no one would ever be found serving kings who has no desire to earn his living.
49. Himsa, falsehood, theft, unchastity and attachment to worldly goods - the stopping of these five channels of sin is the conduct suitable for him who is endowed with Right Knowledge.
50. Right Conduct is of two kinds: sakala (perfect or unqualified) and vikala (imperfect or qualified): of these of unqualified is observed by ascetics who have renounced all things, and the qualified by laymen still entangled in the world.
51. The conduct prescribed for a layman is of three kinds and assumes the form of anu, guna and siksha vratas (vows), which comprise five, three and four kinds each, respectively.
52. Anu (minor) vratas (vows) consist in the avoidance of the gross forms of himsa, falsehood, theft, unchastity and love of possessions.
53. Refraining from injuring living beings having two or more senses, with a deliberate act of mind, speech or body, in any of the three ways, krita, karita and manant, is called ahimsa anu vrata by the wise.
54. Piercing, binding, causing pain, overloading and starving, or not feeding at proper times, are the five faults appertaining to ahimsa anu vrata.
55. Refraining from uttering oneself, and from causing others to utter, gross falsehood, as well as truth which causes affiction to others, that is called satyanu vrata (the minor vow of truthfulness) by the saints.
56. Spreading false doctrines, revealing the secrets and deformities of others, back-biting, making false documents, not returning in full a deposit made by another [on his asking for less through forgetfulness], these are the five transgressions of the vow of truthfulness of a layman.
57. He who does not appropriate to himself, nor give away to any one else, the property of another [whether] placed, dropped, forgotten or deposited [by him], is said to observe the layman's vow of non-stealing.
58. Imparting instruction on the method of committing theft, receiving stolen property, evading law, adulteration, and keeping false weights and measures are the five aticharas (faults) of the layman's vow of non-stealing.
59. He who neither `visits', nor causes any other person to `visit', another man's wife from fear of sin-that man is said to observe the anu vrata, known as the renunciation of the wife of another and contentment with one's own.
60. Match-making (i.e., bringing about marriages), unnatural gratification, indulging in lewd or voluptuous speech, excessive passion even for one's own wife, and visiting an immoral woman, are the five faults peculiar to the layman's vow of chastity.
61. Having fixed the measure of one's worldly possessions, cash, grain and the like, to desire for no more is called the parigraha-parimana (possession-limiting) vow, also known as the ichcha-parimana (desire-limiting).
62. Keeping a larger number of vehicles than required, accumulating even necessary articles in large numbers, expressing wonder at the pomp or prosperity of another, excessive greed and overloading animals, are described as the five faults of the
parigraha-parimana vow.
63. The observance of the five minor vows of the layman, without committing transgressions thereof, bears fruit in the shape of a birth in the heavenworlds where [the soul] acquires clairvoyance (avadhi jnana), the eight kinds of miraculous powers and a
divine body.
64. The low caste Yampala [in respect of the first], Dhanadeva [in respect of the second], then Varisena, Nili and Jayakumar [in respect of the third, fourth and fifth vows respectively] have risen to high, worshipful status.
65. Dhanasri, Satyaghosa and Tapasi, the police officer [Yamadanda], and in the same way Smasrunavanita have attained to notoriety, in the order of enumeration.
66. The [observance of the] five anu vratas and refraining from the use of wine, flesh and honey, are regarded as the eight fundamental virtues of a householder by holy saints.
PART IV
THE GUNA VRATAS
67. Because the dig, the anarthadanda and the bhogopabhoga parimana vratas (vows) tend to increase virtue (i.e.; the merit of the five ana vratas], great personages have called them guna vratas.
68. "I shall not travel beyond these limits;"-to hold to a resolve like this, having, with a view to avoid the commission of [even] subtle sins [beyond those limits], previously determined the bounds of space in the ten directions, for the rest of one's life, is
called dig vrata.
69. In placing limits on one's movements in the ten directions, well-known oceans, rivers, forests, mountains, countries and yojana-marks should be selected as boundaries.
70. By the avoidance of subtle sins beyond the determined limits, [even] the minor vows of a householder are able to rank as the qualified vows of asceticism [in respect of the regions lying beyond those limits].
71. The extremely quiescent states of conduct-infatuating karmas which arise from the subsidence of the activity of the pratyakhyana type of passions, are taken for maha vratas; [the tinge of passions in the mind is then so slight that] it is not easy to say whether they exist or not.
72. Abstaining from the commission of the five sins, himsa and the like, in all the three ways, krita, karita and anumodana, with mind, speech or body, constitutes the maha vratas of great ascetics.
73. Transcending the limits of space upwards, downwards or in other directions, extending the field of one's activity, forgetting the boundaries [fixed],-these are the five transgressions of the dig vrata.
74. The best of ascetics call refraining from wanton (purposeless) activity, likely to cause injury to others, within the limits [fixed for one's activity], anarthadanda vrata.
75. Those who do not inflict any kind of punishment on others call evil lesson, himsadana, apadhyana, duhsruti and pramadacharyya, the five [kinds of] anartha danda.
76. Narrating accounts having reference to acts of cruelty to lower forms of life, trade, himsa, occupations, swindling and the like is to be known as papa upadesa (evil lesson).
77. The giving of the means of himsa-a battle-axe, a sword, an instrument for digging, fire, weapons, a horn, a chain and the like-is called himsadana by the wise.
78. They who excel in the Jaina religion have described the wishing, from motives of love or hatred, of destruction, imprisonment, injury, etcetera, to another's wife and the like as apadhyana [anarthadanda].
79. Listening to works dealing with occupations, worldly possessions, daring crimes, false doctrine, hatred, love, pride and sex-passion, which disturb the mind is duhsruti [anartha-danda].
80. Dealing in [i.e., meddling with, or handling], earth, water, fire and air; destroying or striking down plants; also moving about, and causing others to move about-these, when done without purpose, are called pramadacharya (pramada= carelessness+charya=activity).
81. Indulging in lewd speech, assuming ridiculous attitudes with the body, prattling away in a senseless manner, surrounding oneself with the objects of sensual pleasure, and [otherwise] becoming engrossed in the activity of mind, speech, or body, in an aimless way, -- these are the five transgressions of the vow of renunciation of anarthadanda
(anartha=purposeless+danda=punishment).
82. Putting limitation, for the day even within the limits allowed by the parigraha pramana vrata (the fifth vow), according to one's requirements, and with a view to reducing the sense of attachment and the like on the choice of the objects of senses, (is
called) bhogopabhoga a pariman vrata.
83. Food, clothing and other objects of the five senses, which can be enjoyed only once, are called bhoga, and those which can be enjoyed more than once upabhoga.
84. Those who seek refuge at the feet of the Tirthamkaras should give up honey and flesh to avoid injuring moving livingbeings, and wine to escape from pramada (carelessness, i.e., spiritual laziness).
85. Because there is little good and great himsa in their use green ginger, roots, butter, buds and flowers should be excluded [from the list of eatables].
86. That which is undesirable is to be given up, also that which does not become [the exalted], because deliberate refraining from the use of suitable (useful or sanctioned) objects is a vrata (vow).
87. Renunciation of bhogas and upabhogas is of two kinds, niyama and yama; [of these] the one which has a time limit is called niyama, and the other which is undertaken for life, is yama.
88-89. Abstaining for a certain fixed period of time, as for instance, for an hour, a day, a night, a fortnight, a month, a season, or a half-year, from food, conveyances, couch, bathing unguents, betel leaf, clothes, ornaments, co-habitation, music or singing,
is niyama.
90. Constant craving for the venom [of sensual enjoyment], dwelling upon pleasurable experiences of the past, abandoning oneself to the sensations of pleasure at the time of indulgence, cherishing insatiable craving for gratification of senses in the future
[and], going through sensuous experiences in imagination,-these are called the five transgressions of the bhogopabhoga pariamana vrata.
PART V
SIKSHA VRATAS
91. Desavakasika, samayika, prosadhopavasa and vaiyavritya,-- these four are known as siksha vows.
92. Limiting [the sphere of one's activity still further] from day to day and for fixed periods [within] the larger field [fixed in the dig vrata], is called the desavakasika vow of the householder.
93. Those who are constantly advancing on the path of tapa (asceticism) describe the limits of the desavakasika vrata to consist in a specific house, street, village, field, river, forest, or yojana-stone.
94. The wise have described the time-limits of the desavakasika vow to consist in a year, a ritu (=2 months), a half-year, one month, four months, a fortnight, or the time taken by the sun or moon in travelling from one asterism [or lunar mansion] to another.
95. Because of the complete renunciation of the five kinds of subtle and gross sins beyond the limits [of time and space], the observer of the desavakasika vow is also regarded as the observer of maha vratas.
96. Transgressing the limits by sending an agent, drawing attention by making sounds, ordering things, beckoning by showing one's person, and throwing missiles [to attract notice], are said to be the five aticharas (transgressions) of the desavakasika vow.
97. Refraining from the commission of the five kinds of sin in all respect and altogether for a particular period of time [every day], is called the samayika vow by those who are learned in Scripture.
98. The wise perform the samayika by tying a knot in their choti, or a garment, or by closing the fist; they know the posture, the place, as well as the suitable subjects of meditation and time.
99. Samayika should be performed with a cheerful heart in undisturbed solitude, in forests, private dwellings and temples.
100. Withdrawing the mind and body from all kinds of worldly activities, subduing in particular [all forms of] mental disturbance, one should perform samayika [especially] on the day of fasting and half-fasting.
101. Samayika is the cause of perfection [in the observance] of the five vows: it should be practised daily according to the prescribed method, with one pointed mind, [and by overcoming laziness].
102. Because there is the absence of all kinds of attachments and undertaking in samayika, therefore the householder [while engaged in its observance approaches asceticism and resembles muni on whom a piece of cloth has been thrown to protect him
from harm.
103. Those who aspire to perfect themselves in the samayika vow bear the hardships consequent on cold, heat, gnat-sting and mosquito-bite, as well as trouble [caused by an enemy], maintaining unbroken silence and control over yogas.
104. "I am involved in the samsara (universe) in which there is no protection for souls, which is inauspicious, transitory and full of pain, and of the nature of not-Self; moksha is the opposite of this;-- thus should one meditate while performing samayika.
105. Losing control over speech, body and mind, indifference to the observance of meditation, forgetting [its time and the subject-matter of reflection]: these, verity, are the five transgressions of the samayika vow.
106. Abstaining from taking the four kinds of food for the whole day on the 8th and the 14th [day of every fortnight], with a view to strengthen the vows, should be known as the prosadhopavasa vow.
107. On the day of fasting, one should refrain from the five kinds of sin [himsa and the like], personal adornments, undertaking, scents, flowers, bathing, collyirium and fragrant things.
108. Conquering laziness, one should, on the occasion of fasting spend one's time in drinking with one's ears, and with great eagerness, the nectar of dharma (Scripture) and in giving it to others to drink, and should engage oneself in holy meditation.
109. Refraining from the four kinds of food is called upavasa; taking only one meal in 24 hours is prosadha; that which consists in [taking only one meal on the day of undertaking and] only one meal on the day following the fast is called prasadhopavasa.
110. That which consists in handling, depositing, spreading [things], carelessly and without due regard for insect life, [also] in contempt for the vow and in forgetfulness of its requirements,-- that is the `quantity, of transgressions of the prosadhopavasa
vrata.
111. The giving of [suitable] gifts to guna-nidhiye homeless saints, in the approved manner, for the increase of dharma, and without expecting anything in return, is called vaiyavritta.
112. Removing the troubles of those who control their lower nature, massaging their feet, as well as serving them in other ways, with respect for their noble attributes is called vaiyavritya.
113. The welcoming of [land the offering of food to] holy saints, who do not engage themselves in the householder's work [crushing, grinding, kindling fire and the like], having received them with the nine-fold ceremonies [prescribed for showing, reverence to holy personages] by a layman excelling in the seven [well-known] virtues, is called dana (gift).
114. As water for certain washes away blood, so does the giving of food, with devotion, to homeless saints (atithis), without doubt, destroy the sins incidental to a householder's life.
115. Noble lineage [that is, birth in a high family, is obtained] by saluting holy saints; profusion and prosperity by giving them dana; respect [i.e., exalted or kingly status] by attending upon them ; beauty of person by offering them devotion: and fame by
praising their virtues.
116. Even a small dana (gift) given to a patra (proper or suitable done), bears much desirable fruit for souls in the fullness of time just as [tiny] seed of the Indian fig-tree, sown in [good] soil, produces [a tree, casting] magnificent shade.
117. Those who enjoy four kinds of jnana regard the giving of food, medicine, means (or instruments of knowledge. i.e. books) and shelter as the four forms of vaiyavritya.
118. Srisena, Vrisabhasena, Kaundesa and Sukara- these four should be regarded as patterns of the four kinds of vaiyavritya [respectively].
119. The worshipping of the feet of the Deva of devas (Holy Tirthamkara), the bestower of desired good and the consumer of Cupid's shafts, is the remover of all kinds of pain: [for this reason it] should be performed reverently every day.
120. The glory of worshipping the feet of the Holy Tirthamkara with a single [petal of a] flower was demonstrated by a joy intoxicated frog at Rajagriha before great personages.
121. Placing [that which is to be given] in green [leaves] covering it over [with fresh foliage], not observing due respect [at the time of giving], forgetting [the prescribed method of offering], entertaining feelings of jealousy [towards a `rival' donor]-these,
verily, are said to be five transgressions of vaiwavritya.
PART VI
SALLEKHANA
122. The most excellent of men describe the giving up of the body (ghost) on the arrival of unavoidable calamity, distress, senescence and disease, with a view to increase of spiritual merit, as sallekhana.
123. To be able to control one's conduct at the moment of death is the fruit (culmination) of asceticism; all systems are at one as to this; therefore, one should apply oneself to attain sallekhana death to the extent of one's power.
124. Giving up love, hatred, attachment and possessions, with a pure mind, one should obtain, with sweet speech, forgiveness from one's kinsmen and attendants, and should also forgive them oneself.
125. Renouncing duplicity and reflecting on the sins committed in any of the three ways, krita, karita and anumodana, one should take all the great vows of asceticism for the rest of one's days.
126. Banishing grief, fear, anguish, attachment, wickedness and hatred, and bringing into manifestation energy and enthusiasm, one should extinguish the fire of passions with the nectar of the Word of God [i.e., Scripture].
127. Giving up solid food by degrees, one should take to milk and whey, then giving them up, to hot or spiced water.
128. [Subsequently] giving up hot water also, and observing fasting with full determination, he should give up his body, trying in every possible way to keep in mid the five-fold obeisance mantra (hot formula).
129. Entertaining a desire to live, wishing for [speedy] death, displaying fear, desiring to see or to be remembered to friends, looking forward to future sense-enjoyment [in the life to come]--these have been described as the transgressions of sallekhana by the Jinendra (Lord of Conquerors).
130. He who has quaffed the nectar of dharma [such an observer of the sallekhana vow] becomes freed from all kinds of pain, and drinks from the endless, unsurpassed and exalted `ocean' of blissfulness of moksha.
131. The which is free from birth, old age, disease, death, grief, pain and fear, [which is] eternal, blissful, [and of the nature of] pure delight is called nirvana.
132. [Those who perform sallekhana] dwell unexcelled for all eternity, in the joy of final beatitude, endowed with [infinite] wisdom, faith, energy renunciation, bliss, satisfaction and purity.
133. And even if there be a cosmic disturbance, violent enough to destroy the three worlds, still no change is observable in the condition of the Perfect Souls even of the lapse hundreds of kalas (cycles of Time).
134. They who attain nirvana possess the lustre of pure unalloyed gold; they shine with effulgence [which is] the crest jewel of the three worlds.
135. The merit acquired by the practising of dharma (religion or virtue) enables one to obtain high status, wealth, dominion, authority, power, attendants and the objects of enjoyment in abundance, [also] unsurpassed and prodigious good fortune.
PART VII
THE ELEVEN PRATIMAS
136. The Tirthamkara has described the stages in a householder's `life' to be eleven [in number], each subsequent one of which rising by degrees [naturally] includes all the attributes developed in those preceding it.
137. He who is disgusted with the world, the body and sensual lust, whose faith is unmarred by short comings, who has taken refuge at the feet of the five kinds of gurus (preceptors), who is desirous of following the true `path,'- such a one is called a
darsanika sravaka (householder).
138. He who, avoiding obstacles, observes, without committing transgression, the five anu vratas as well as the seven sila vratas such a being is called a vratika sravaka by the observers of vows.
139. He who, turning round in the four directions of space, performs three avartas and four salutations in each, who is unattached to his body, who does not seek worldly prosperity who assumes one of the two [approved] postures [for meditation] who preserves the three channels in sin [that is, mind speech and body] in a state of purity, and who performs samayika three times daily, -- he is called a samayika sravaka.
140. He who, applying himself to holy meditation, observes the prosadhapavasa vrata in the prescribed manner, on all the four fast days, month by month, not shrinking from exercising the power of his should to the full-such a householder is called a
prosadhansanah sravaka.
141. He who does not eat uncooked and unripe, roots, fruits, greens, branches, tendrils [or shoots of hard or thorny plants] bulbous vegetables, flowers [and] seeds is an embodiment of mercy; this very being is called a sachitta virata sravaka.
142. He who, being mercifully inclined towards all living beings, does not take [any of the four kinds of food, namely,] grains [or things made of grain] liquids, sweetmeats the semi-liquids, after sunset - such a one is called a ratri bhuktivirata sravaka.
143. He who, perceiving that the private parts are the seed, the source and the channels of fifth, [also] stinking and disgusting to look at, abstains from sexual indulgence, -- that being it called a brahmachari sravaka.
144. He who renounces the undertakings involved in service, cultivation, trade and other occupations, the causes of himsa, called an arambhavinivritta sravaka.
145. He who, giving up the sense of possession in the ten kinds of worldly goods, and finding pleasure, in a feeling of renunciation, becomes steadfast in the contemplation of his Self and in developing contentment in his soul, -- such a one is a parichitta parigraha virata sravaka.
146. He whose approval is not [given] in [respect of] undertakings, and material goods, and worldly activity, that one of serene judgment, is certainly fit to be called as anumati virata sravaka.
147. He who, giving up home, proceeds to a forest where ascetics are to be found, [and] taking the vows in the presence of guru, [and] performing austerities, lives on food obtained by begging, that wearer of a piece of cloth is an excellent sravaka.
148. "She is the enemy of the soul, and virtue its friend,"-whoever knows the Scripture, reflecting constantly in this manner, is the most excellently wise.
149. Whoever turns himself into a jewel case [i.e. an abiding place] of faultless wisdom, faith and conduct, to him comes success in all his undertakings in the three worlds, like a woman eager to join her lord.
150. May the Goddess of True Discernment, who reveals the lotus-feet of the Lord of the Conquerors, make me happy as a beautiful woman of heavenly regions gives pleasure to a lover of beauty: may she protect me, as a mother of unwavering virtue protects her son; and may she sanctify the kula (race or clan), as a virtuous girl [reflects credit on her family].