Is the soul distinct from the body? Part II (sutra)

Rhys Davids (trans.), Jāliya Sutra (DN 7), suttacentral.net; Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

SUTRA: "Discourse to Jāliya"

This sutra from the Long Discourses (DN) is mostly quoted verbatim by the Buddha from the previous sutra. Therefore, the next section in the Pali text is greatly abbreviated. The following is a fully expanded version, based on the text of the "Fruits of Recluseship Discourse" or Sāmaññaphala Sutra (DN 2) as translated by American scholar-monk Bhikkhu Bodhi. It should be noted that is not always possible to determine exactly how the expansion should be done.

• Part 1: Is the soul distinct from the body?

Intermediate Section on Discipline in Virtue

We're listening. This is just a sacramental flower.

“Whereas some wandering ascetics and Brahmins, while living on food offered by the faithful, continually cause damage to seed and plant life — to plants propagated from roots, stems, joints, buds, and seeds — one abstains from damaging seed and plant life.

“Whereas some wandering ascetics and Brahmins, while living on food offered by the faithful, enjoy the use of stored up goods, such as stored up food, drinks, garments, vehicles, bedding, scents, and comestibles — one abstains from the use of stored up goods.

“Whereas some wandering ascetics and Brahmins, while living on food offered by the faithful, attend unsuitable shows, such as:

• shows featuring dancing, singing, or instrumental music
• theatrical performances
• narrations of legends
• music played by hand-clapping, cymbals, and drums
• picture houses
• acrobatic performances
• combats of elephants, horses, buffaloes, bulls, goats, rams, cocks, and quails
• stick-fights, boxing, and wrestling
• sham-fights, roll-calls, battle-arrays, and regimental reviews —

“one abstains from attending such unsuitable shows.

“Whereas some wandering ascetics and Brahmins, while living on food offered by the faithful, indulge in the following games and recreations:

• aṭṭhapada (a game played on an eight-row chessboard)
• dasapada (a game played on a ten-row chessboard)
• ākāsa (played by imagining a board in the air)
• parihārapatha (“hopscotch,” a diagram is drawn on ground and one jumps in the allowable spaces avoiding the lines)
• santika (“spillikins,” assembling the pieces in a pile, removing, and returning them without disturbing the pile)
• khalika (dice games)
• ghaṭika (hitting a short stick with a long stick)
• salākahattha (a game played by dipping the hand in paint or dye, striking the ground or a wall, and requiring the participants to show the figure of an elephant, a horse, etc.)
• akkha (ball games)
• paṅgacīra (blowing through toy pipes made of leaves)
• vaṅkaka (ploughing with miniature ploughs)
• mokkhacika (turning somersaults)
• ciṅgulika (playing with paper windmills)
• pattāḷaka (playing with toy measures)
• rathaka (playing with toy chariots)
• dhanuka (playing with toy bows)
• akkharika (guessing letters written in air or on one’s back)
• manesika (guessing others’ thoughts)
• yathāvajja (games involving mimicry of deformities) —

“one abstains from such games that are a basis for negligence.

“Whereas some wandering ascetics and Brahmins, while living on food offered by the faithful, enjoy the use of high and luxurious beds and seats, such as:

• spacious couches
• thrones with animal figures carved on the supports
• long-haired coverlets
• multi-colored patchwork coverlets
• white woolen coverlets
• woolen coverlets embroidered with flowers
• quilts stuffed with cotton
• woolen coverlets embroidered with animal figures
• woolen coverlets with hair on both sides or on one side
• bedspreads embroidered with gems
• silk coverlets
• dance-hall carpets
• elephant, horse, or chariot rugs
• rugs of antelope-skins
• choice spreads made of kadali-deer hides
• spreads with red awnings overhead
• couches with red cushions for head and feet —

“one abstains from the use of such high and luxurious beds and seats.

“Whereas some wandering ascetics and Brahmins, while living on food offered by the faithful, enjoy the use of such devices for embellishing and beautifying themselves as the following:

• rubbing scented powders into the body
• massaging with oils
• bathing in perfumed water
• kneading the limbs
• mirrors
• ointments
• garlands
• scents
• creams
• face-powders
• make up
• bracelets
• headbands
• decorated walking sticks
• ornamented medicine-tubes
• rapiers
• sunshades
• embroidered sandals
• turbans
• diadems
• yaktail whisks
• and long-fringed white robes —

“one abstains from the use of such devices for embellishment and beautification.

“Whereas some wandering ascetics and Brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, engage in frivolous chatter, such as:

• talk about rulers, thieves, and ministers of state
• talk about armies, dangers, and wars
• talk about food, drink, garments, and lodgings
• talk about garlands and scents
• talk about relations, vehicles, villages, towns, cities, and countries
• talk about women and talk about heroes
• street talk and talk by the well
• talk about those departed in days gone by
• rambling chit-chat
• speculations about the world and about the sea
• talk about gain and loss —

“one abstains from such frivolous chatter.

“Whereas some wandering ascetics and Brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, engage in wrangling arguments (saying to one another):

• ‘You don’t understand this Doctrine and Discipline. I understand this Doctrine and Discipline.’
• ‘How could you understand this Doctrine and Discipline?’
• ‘You’re practicing the wrong way, whereas I’m practicing the right way!’
• ‘I’m being consistent. You’re being inconsistent.’
• ‘What you should have said first, you said last. And what you should have said last, you said first.’
• ‘What you took so long to think through has been refuted.’
• ‘Your doctrine has been refuted. You’re defeated. Go on, now try to save your doctrine or disentangle yourself, if you can’ —

“one abstains from such wrangling arguments.

“Whereas some wandering ascetics and Brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, engage in running messages and errands for kings, ministers of state, nobles, Brahmins, householders, or youths (who command them): ‘Go here, go there, take this, bring that from there’ — one abstains from running such messages and errands.

“Whereas some wandering ascetics and Brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, engage in scheming, talking, hinting, belittling others, and pursuing gain with gain, one abstains from such kinds of scheming and talking. CONTINUED IN PART III