First lesson.

799

'I shall become a Sramana who owns no house, no property, no sons, no cattle, who eats what others give him; I shall commit no sinful action; Master, I renounce to accept anything that has not been given.' Having taken such vows, (a mendicant) should not, on entering a village or scot-free town, take himself, or induce others to take, or allow others to take, what has not been given. A mendicant should not take or appropriate any property, viz. an umbrella or vessel or stick. Of those monks together with whom he stays, without getting their permission, and without having inspected and wiped (the object in question); but having got their permission, and having inspected and wiped (the object in question), he may take or appropriate it.

800

He may beg for a domicile in a traveller's hall. Having reflected (on its fitness for a stay); he should ask permission to take Possession of it from him who is the landlord or the steward of that place: 'Indeed, O long-lived one! for the time, and in the space which you concede us, we shall dwell here. We shall take possession of the place for as long a time as the place belongs to you; and of as much of it as belongs to you; for as many fellow ascetics (as shall stand in need of it); afterwards we shall take to wandering.'

801

Having got possession of some place, a mendicant should invite to that food, which he himself has collected, any fellow-ascetics arriving there who follow the same rules and are zealous brethren; but he should not invite them to anything of which he has taken possession for the sake of somebody else.

802

Having got possession of some place (in a traveller's hall.), a mendicant should offer a footstool or bench or bed or couch, which he himself has begged, to any fellow-ascetics arriving there who follow other rules than he, yet are zealous brethren; but he should not offer them anything of which he has taken possession for the sake of somebody else.

803

Having got possession of some lace in a traveller's hall, a mendicant mighpt ask from a householder or his sons the loan of a needle or a Pippalaka [a utensil] or an ear-picker or a nail-parer, he should not give or lend it to somebody else; but having done that for which he wanted one of the above articles, he should go with that article there (where the householder, is), and stretching out his hands or laying the article on the ground, he should, after consideration, say: 'Here it is! here it is!' But he should not with his own hand put it in the hand of the householder.

804

A monk or a nun should not take possession of anything, on the bare ground, on wet ground, where there are eggs.; nor on pillars or such an above-ground place; nor on a wall.; nor on the trunk of a tree.; nor where the householder or fire or water, or women or children or cattle are, and where it is not fit for a wise man to enter or to leave, nor to meditate on the law; nor where they have to pass through the householder's abode or to which there is no road, and where it is not fit.; nor where the householder or his wife, bully or scold each other. Nor where they rub or anoint each other's body with oil or ghee or butter or grease; nor where they take a bath.; nor where they go about naked.

805

This is the whole duty.

806

Thus I say.

Second lesson.

807

He may beg for a domicile in a traveller's hall. Having reflected (on its fitness); he should ask permission to take possession of it from the landlord or the Steward of that place: Indeed, O long-lived one! for the time and in the space You concede is, we shall dwell here. Now what further after the place is taken Possession of? He should not remove from without to within, or vice versa, any umbrella or stick. Belonging to Sramanas or Brallmanas (Previously settled there); nor should he wake up a sleeping person, nor offend or molest the (inmates).

808

A monk or a nun might wish to go to a mango park; they should then ask the landlord's or steward's permission (in the manner described above). Now what further after the place is taken possession of? Then they might desire to eat a mango. If the monk or the nun perceive that the mango is covered with eggs, living beings. They should not take it; for it is impure.

809

If the monk or the nun perceive that the mango is free from eggs, living beings, but not nibbled at by animals, nor injured, they should not take it; for it is impure. But if they perceive that the mango is free from eggs, living beings, and is nibbled at by animals and injured) then they may take it; for it is pure.

810

The monk might wish to eat or suck one half of a mango or a mango's peel or rind or sap or smaller particles. If the monk or the nun perceive that the above-enumerated things are covered with eggs, living beings, they should not take them; for they are impure. But they may take them, if they are free from eggs, and nibbled at by animals or injured.

811

A monk or a nun might wish to go to a sugarcane plantation. They should ask permission in the manner described above. The monk or the nun might wish to chew or suck sugar-cane. In that case the same rules as for eating mango apply also; likewise if they wish to chew or to stick the sugar-cane's pulp, fibres, sap, or smaller particles.

812

A monk or a nun might wish to go to a garlic field. They should ask permission in the manner described above. The monk or the nun might wish to chew or suck garlic. In that case the same rules as for eating mangoes apply also; likewise if they wish to chew or suck the bulb or peel or stalk or seed of garlics.

813

A monk or a nun, having got possession of a place in a travellers hall, should avoid all occasions to sin (proceeding from any preparations made by) the householders or their sons, and should occupy that place according to the following rules.

814

Now this is the first rule:

815

He may beg for a domicile in a traveller's hall, having reflected (on its fitness for a stay).

816

This is the first rule.

817

Now follows the second rule:

818

A monk resolves: 'I shall ask for possession of a dwelling-place, for the sake of other mendicants and having taken possession of it for their sake, I shall use it.'

819

This is the second rule.

820

Now follows the third rule:

821

A monk resolves: 'I shall ask for possession of a dwelling-place, for the sake of other mendicants, and having taken possession of it for their sake, I shall not use it.'

822

This is the third rule.

823

Now follows thee fourth rule

824

A monk resolves: 'I shall not ask for possession of a dwelling-place, for the sake of other mendicants; but if the dwelling-place, has already been ceded to them, I shall use it.'

825

This is the fourth rule.

826

Now follows the fifth rule:

827

A monk resolves: 'I shall ask for possession of a dwelling-place for my own sake, not for two, three, four, or five persons.'

828

This is the fifth rule.

829

Now follows the sixth rule

830

If a monk or a nun, occupying a dwelling-place in which there is Ikkada reed. Get this thing, then they may use it; otherwise they should remain in a squatting or sitting posture.

831

This is the sixth rule.

832

Now follows the seventh rule:

833

A monk or a nun may beg for a dwelling-place paved with clay or wood. If they get it, then they may use it; otherwise they should remain in a squatting or sitting posture.

834

This is the seventh rule.

835

One who has adopted one of these seven rules, should not say.

836

I have heard the following explanation by the venerable (Mahavira): The Sthaviras, the venerable ones, have declared that dominion is fivefold: The lord of the gods' dominion; The king's dominion; The houseowner's dominion; The householder's dominion; The religious man's dominion. This is the whole duty. Thus I say.

837

End of the Seventh Lecture, called Regulation of Possession.