Vajjalaggam

SR No.: 020873
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: M V Patwardhan
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society
Publication Year: 1969
Total Pages: 706
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 11 MB

Page 448

-775)
91. THE SECTION ON GOLD
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769) How can one not feel sorry (deeply distressed) in this world, how will not old age (and a sense of frustration) come upon a person prematurely, when he sees that the lettered (also literate) weighing balance measures out sugar, while the unlettered (also, illiterate) (small) balance measures out gold ?
770) Oh balance, unlettered (also, illiterate), made of steel (also, greedy), having two ends or extremities (also, double-faced, hypocritical), what shall we say to you? Are you not abashed when weighing gold against a Guñjā berry?
771) Behold, the balance weighs gold and also the counterpiece (counter-weight) of stone, Or rather, how can there be any discrimination between good qualities and bad qualities, on the part of those who are unlettered (also, illiterate) ?
92. The Section on the Sun 1.2) You have wandered, you are wandering and you will wander every day in the vicinity of the summit of Mount Meru, oh sun. But if you obtain even a grain of gold, then, oh sun, you would really be (regarded as) valiant.
773) Oh sun, if you could show yourself at night, as does the moon, though devoid of lustre show himself by day, then you would really be (regarded as) valiant.
774) Rising (rising to eminence), traversing (pervading) (conquering) the entire world and setting (downfall)-even the sun passes through these three states in the course of a single day. What then shall we say about other ordinary people ?
93. The Section on the Lamp
775) Possessed of guņa (virtue; also, wick), full of sneha (affection; also, oil), endowed with aloka (discernment; also, light), giving delight to the eyes of people and dissipating the advance (prevalence) of enmassed tama (ignorance; also, dark. ness)-is it a good (righteous) man that you are describing ? No, it is a lamp.