First Lesson

A heretic may say: Know this for certain: having or not having received food and the rest down to brooms, having or not having eaten, come to our house, even turning from your way or passing other houses; we shall supply your wants. Confessing an individual creed, coming and going, he may give, or exhort to give, or do service; but one should not accept anything from him. Thus I say. (2)

Some here are not well instructed as regards the subject of conduct; for desirous of acts, they say: "Kill creatures;" they themselves kill or consent to the killing of others; or they take what has not been given; or they pronounce opinions, for example: the world exists, the world does not exist, the world is unchangeable, the world is ever changing; the world has a beginning, the world has no beginning; the world has an end, the world has no end; or with regard to the self and actions: this is well done, this is badly done; this is merit, this is demerit; he is a good man, he is not a good man; there is beatitude, there is no beatitude; there is a Hell, there is no Hell. When they thus differ in their opinions and profess their individual persuasion, know that this is all without reason. Thus they are not well taught, not well instructed in the religion such as it has been declared by the Venerable One, who knows and sees with quick discernment. One should either instruct the opponent in the true faith or observe abstinence as regards speech. Thus I say. (3)

Everywhere sins are admitted; but to avoid them is called my distinction. For ye who live in a village or in the forest, or not in a village and not in the forest, know the law as it has been declared. "By the wise teacher (Mahavira), three vows have been enjoined." Noble and tranquil men who are enlightened and exert themselves in these precepts, are called free from sinful acts. (4)

Knowing and renouncing severally and singly the actions against living beings, in the regions above, below, and on the surface, everywhere and in all ways—a wise man neither gives pain to these creatures, nor orders others to do so, nor assents to their doing so. Nay, we abhor those who give pain to these creatures. Knowing this, a wise man should not cause this or any other pain to any creatures. Thus I say. (5)

Second Lesson

A devotee may exert himself, or stand or sit or lie in a burying-place or in an empty house or in a mountain cave or in a potter's workshop. A householder may approach a devotee who stays in any of these places, and say unto him: O long-lived ascetic! I shall give you what I have bought or stolen or taken, though it was not to be taken, nor given, but was taken by force, namely food, drink, dainties and spices, clothes, an alms-bowl, a plaid, a broom—by acting sinfully against all sorts of living beings; or I shall prepare you snug lodgings; eat the offered food, dwell in the prepared house. (1)

O long-lived ascetic! A devotee should thus refuse a householder of good sense and ripe age: O long-lived householder! I do not approve of thy words, I do not accept thy words, that, for my sake, thou givest unto me what thou hast bought or stolen or taken, though it was not to be taken, nor given, but was taken by force, namely food, drink, dainties and spices, clothes, an alms-bowl, a plaid, a broom—by acting sinfully against all sorts of living beings; or that thou preparest pleasant lodgings for me. O long-lived householder! I have given up this, because it is not to be done. (2) A devotee may exert himself, and so forth. A householder, without betraying his intention, may approach him who stays in some one of the above-mentioned places, and give unto him what has been taken, and so forth, down to preparing pleasant lodgings, and accommodate the devotee with food and lodging. A devotee should know it by his own innate intelligence, or through the instruction of the highest, or having heard it from others: This householder, forsooth, for my sake injures all sorts of living beings, to give me food, clothes, or to prepare pleasant lodgings. A devotee should well observe and understand this, that he may order the householder not to show such obsequiousness. Thus I say. (3)

Those who having, with or without the devotee's knowledge, brought together such benefactions, become angry on the devotee's refusal and will strike him, saying: Beat, kill, cut, burn, roast, tear, rob, despatch, torture him! But the hero, come to such a lot, will bravely bear it, or tell him the code of conduct, considering that he is of a different habit; or by guarding his speech he should in due order examine the subject, guarding himself.

Know the law declared by the wise teacher: one should give to one of the same faith food, clothes, and the like, and one should exhort him to give or do him service, always showing the highest respect. Thus I say. (5)

Third Lesson

Some are awakened as middle-aged men and exert themselves well, having, as clever men, heard and received the word of the learned. The noble ones have impartially preached the law. Those who are awakened, should not wish for pleasure, nor do harm, nor desire any forbidden things. A person who is without desires and does no harm unto any living beings in the whole world, is called by me "unfettered." (1)

One free from passions understands perfectly the bright one (self-control), knowing the upper and nether regions.

"Bodies increase through nourishment, they are frail in hardships." See some whose organs are failing give way to weakness.

A person who has no desires, cherishes pity. He who understands the doctrine of sin, is a devotee who knows the time, the strength, the measure, the occasion, the conduct, the religious precept; he disowns all things not requisite for religious purposes, in time exerts himself, is under no obligations; he proceeds securely on the road to final salvation after having cut off both love and hate. (2)

A householder approaching a devotee whose limbs tremble for cold, may say:

O long-lived ascetic! are you not subject to the influences of your senses?

O long-lived householder! I am not subject to the influences of my senses. But I cannot sustain the feeling of cold. Yet it does not become me to kindle or light a fire, that I may warm or heat myself; nor to procure that comfort through the order of others.

Perhaps after the devotee has spoken thus, the other kindles or lights a fire that he may warm or heat himself. But the devotee should well observe and understand this, that he may order him to show no such obsequiousness. Thus I say. (3)

Fourth Lesson

A devotee who is fitted out with three robes, and a bowl as fourth article, will not think: I shall beg for a fourth robe. He should beg for clothes which he wants, and which are permitted by the religious code; he should wear the clothes in the same state in which they are given him; he should neither wash nor dye them, nor should he wear washed or dyed clothes, nor should he hide his garments when passing through other villages, being careless of dress. This is the whole duty of one who wears clothes. But know further, that, after winter is gone and the hot season has come, one should leave off the used-up garment of the three, being clad with an upper and under garment, or with the undermost garment, or with one gown, or with no clothes—aspiring to freedom from bonds. Penance suits him. Knowing what the Venerable One has declared, one should thoroughly and in all respects conform to it. (1)

When it occurs to a blessed devotee that he suffers pain, and cannot bear the influence of cold, he should not try to obviate these trials, but stand fast in his own self which is endowed with all knowledge. Thus I say. (2)

Fifth Lesson

A devotee who is fitted out with two robes, and a bowl as third article, will not think: I shall beg for a third robe. He should beg for robes which are allowed to be begged for; he should wear the clothes in the same state in which they are given him. This is the whole outfit of one who wears clothes. But know further, that after the winter is gone and the hot season has come, one should leave off the used-up garments; having left off the used-up garments, one should be clad with the undermost garment, with a gown, or with no clothes at all—aspiring to freedom from bonds. Penance suits him. Knowing what the Venerable One has declared, one should thoroughly and in all respects conform to it. (1)

When the thought occurs to a devotee that through illness he is too weak, and not able to beg from house to house—and on his thus complaining a householder brings food, obtained without injuring life, and gives it him—then he should, after deliberation, say: O long-lived householder! it does not become me to eat or drink this food, or accept anything else of the same kind. (2)

A devotee who has resolved, that he will, when sick, accept the assistance of fellow-devotees in good health, when they offer assistance without being asked, and that vice versa he, when in health, will give assistance to sick fellow-devotees, offering it without being asked—he should not deviate from his resolution. (3) Taking the vow to beg food for another who is sick, and to eat when sick what is brought by another; taking the vow to beg, and not to eat what is brought; taking the vow not to beg, but to eat what is brought; taking the vow neither to beg, nor to eat what is brought—one should adhere to that vow. Practising thus the law as it has been declared, one becomes tranquil, averted from sin, guarded against the allurements of the senses. Thus I say. (4)

Sixth Lesson

A devotee who is fitted out with one robe, and a bowl as second article, will not think: I shall beg for a second robe. He should beg for such a robe only as is allowed to be begged for, and he should wear it in the same state as he receives it. This is the whole outfit of one who wears clothes.

But when the hot season has come, one should leave off the used-up clothes; one should be clad with one or no garment—aspiring to freedom from bonds. Knowing what the Venerable One has declared, one should thoroughly and in all respects conform to it.

When the thought occurs to a devotee: "I am myself, alone; I have nobody belonging to me, nor do I belong to anybody," then he should thoroughly know himself as standing alone—aspiring to freedom from bonds. Penance suits him. Knowing what the Venerable One has declared, one should thoroughly and in all respects conform to it. (1)

A male or female devotee eating food should not shift the morsel from the left jaw to the right jaw, nor from the right jaw to the left jaw, to get a fuller taste of it, not caring for the taste of it—aspiring to freedom from bonds. Penance suits him. Knowing what the Venerable One has declared, one should thoroughly and in all respects conform to it. (2)