________________
BOOK I, LECTURE II.
311
have formerly passed over (the Samsara) like traders over the ocean', pass over it (even now), and will pass over it in future ; (this path which) I have learned, I shall explain in due order : men, listen to mę! (5, 6)
Earth-lives are individual beings, so are waterlives, fire-lives, and wind-lives; grass, trees, corn; (7)
And the remaining, (viz.) the movable beings; thus are enumerated the six classes of living beings; these are all the living beings, there are no more besides. (8)
A wise man should study them with all means of philosophical research. All beings hate pains ; therefore one should not kill them. (9)
This is the quintessence of wisdom: not to kill anything. Know this to be the legitimate conclusion from the principle of the reciprocity with regard to non-killing 2 (10)
He should cease to injure living beings whether they move or not, on high, below, and on earth. For this has been called the Nirvâna, which consists in peace(11)
Master (of his senses) and avoiding wrong, he should do no harm to anybody, neither by thoughts, nor words, nor acts. (12)
A wise man who restrains his senses and possesses great knowledge, should accept such things as are freely given him, being always circumspect with regard to the accepting of alms, and abstaining from what he is forbidden to accept. (13)
The same simile occurs also in I, 3, 4, 18, above p. 271. 2 The same verse occurred above, I, 1, 4, 10, p. 247. 3 We have had the same verse above, I, 3, 4, 20, p. 271.
