Acharanga Bhasyam: Sūtras 89-92 : The Preceptor

5.89 se bemi - taṃ jahā, avi harae paḍipuṇṇe, ciṭṭhai samaṃsi bhome, uvasaṃ- tarae sārakkhamāṇe, se ciṭṭhati soyamajjhagae.

Thus do I say: for instance, there is a lake which is full to the brim, in an even plane, dust settled at bottom, harbouring acquatic creatures and is a confluence of various streams.

Bhāṣyaṃ Sūtra 89

Now I give an illustration to exemplify the Ācārya - A lake is of four types:

1. A lake from which stream is flowing out, but is not flowing in.
2. In another lake, stream is flowing in, but not flowing out.
3. In some other lake, stream is flowing in as well as flowing out.
4. In another lake, the stream is neither flowing out nor flowing in.

The lake is full of lotuses. It is situated on an even piece of land, that is, provided with a ford for easy entry and exit.

The lake is limpid, that is, free from mud. It gives resort to fish and tortoise. It is situated at the centre of streams, that is, at a place where streams are flowing in and out. This is the exemplar.

The application of the exemplar to that of the above mentioned four alternatives: the first stands for the Jinas, the second for the monks practising the Jina's course, the third for the preceptors and the fourth for the enlightened ones who were enlightened isolated and spontaneously at the sight of a specific sign or object. Out of them the third is full of the qualities of the preceptor of pure knowledge, who stands on the even land, that is, the stream of equanimity. He calms down the dirt of deluding karma. He does not harm the six classes of living beings, and thus protects them. Likewise, he teaches the disciples and learns from the scriptures, and thus, is comparable to the person standing at the confluence of the stream.

5.90 se pāsa sawato gutte, pāsa loe mahesiṇo, je ya paṇṇāṇamaṃtā pabuddhā āraṃbhovarayā.

Look at the great sages completely guarded with respect to all the senses, who are possessed of wisdom, awakened and desist from all sorts of violence.

Bhāṣyaṃ Sūtra 90

You look at the great sages who are wise and protected against all the senses, who are conversant with the fourteen Purvas or with the Ācārāṅga etc.,^[1] and who are intelligent people endowed with the power of clairvoyance and mind-reading or expert in scriptural lore.^[2] They are free from ignorance, passions, semi-passions and non-restraint, and thus abstain themselves from all sorts of violence.^[3]

5.91 sammameyaṃti pās aha.

Practice this truth properly.

Bhāṣyaṃ Sūtra 91

Look^[4] properly at the great sages, who have guarded themselves in all respect. They are wise, intelligent and away from violence, and are indeed the great preceptors.

5.92 kālassa kaṃkhāe parivvayaṃti tti bemi.

They lead the ascetic life of self-restraint unto their last breath—thus do I say.

Bhāṣyaṃ Sūtra 92

Those preceptors who follow this course till death,^[5] are engaged in meditation.^[6] - Thus do I say.^[7]