Jain Sutras

Essential Quotes

“Some know that their soul is born again and again, that it arrives in this or that direction, whatever direction that may be. He believes in soul, believes in the world, believes in reward, believes in action (acknowledged to be our own doing in such judgments as these): ‘I did it’; ‘I shall cause another to do it’; ‘I shall allow another to do it.’ In the world, these are all the causes of sin, which must be comprehended and renounced.”

“The (living) world is afflicted, miserable, difficult to instruct, and without discrimination. In this world full of pain, suffering by their different acts, see the benighted ones cause great pain.”

“Having well considered it, having well looked at it, I say thus: all beings, those with two, three, four senses, plants, those with five senses, and the rest of creation, (experience) individually pleasure or displeasure, pain, great terror, and unhappiness.”

“Knowing pain and pleasure in all their variety, and seeing his life not yet decline, a wise man should know that to be the proper moment (for entering a religious life); while the perceptions of his ear, eye, organs of smelling, tasting, touching are not yet deteriorated, while all these perceptions are not yet deteriorated, man should prosecute the real end of his soul.”

“‘Frequently (I have been born) in a high family, frequently in a low one; I am not mean, nor noble, nor do I desire (social preferment).’ Thus reflecting, who would brag about his family or about his glory, or for what should he long? Therefore a wise man should neither be glad nor angry (about his lot): thou shouldst know and consider the happiness of living creatures.”

“Thus spake the hero: ‘Be careful against this great delusion; the clever one should have done with carelessness by considering death in tranquillity, and that, the nature of which is decay (viz. the body); these (pleasures), look! will not satisfy (thee). Therefore have done with them!’”