(Such a death) does not fall to the lot of every monk, nor of every householder; for the morality of householders is of various character, and that of monks is not always good throughout. (19)

Some householders are superior to some monks in self-control; but the saints are superior to all householders in self-control. (20)

Bark and skin (of a goat), nakedness, twisted

hair, baldness--these (outward tokens) will not save a sinful ascetic. (21)

A sinner, though he be a mendicant (friar), will not escape hell; but a pious man, whether monk or householder, ascends to heaven. (22)

A faithful man should practise the rules of conduct for householders; he should never neglect the Posaha fast in both fortnights, not even for a single night. (23)

When under such discipline he lives piously even as a householder, he will, on quitting flesh and bones , share the world of the Yakshas. (24)

Now a restrained monk will become one of the two: either one free from all misery or a god of great power. (25)

To the highest regions, in due order, to those where there is no delusion, and to those which are full of light, where the glorious (gods dwell)--who have long life, great power, great lustre, who can change their shape at will, who are beautiful as on their first day, and have the brilliancy of many suns--to such places go those who are trained in self-control and penance, monks or householders, who have obtained liberation by absence of passion. (26-28)

Having heard (this) from the venerable men who control themselves and subdue their senses, the virtuous and the learned do not tremble in the hour of death. (29)

A wise man having weighed (both kinds of death) and chosen the better one (taught in) the Law of Compassion, will become calm through patience, with an undisturbed mind (at the time of death). (30)

When the right time (to prepare for death) has arrived, a faithful (monk) should in the presence (of his teacher) suppress all emotions (of fear or joy) and wait for the dissolution of his body. (31)

When the time for quitting the body has come, a sage dies the 'death with one's will,' according to one of the three methods . (32)

Thus I say.

Footnotes

^20:1 Viz. in the case of a Kevalin. Other sages die this death seven or eight times before reaching mukti.

^21:1 Kalika, doubtful as regards the time when they will be enjoyed.

^21:2 I.e. I shall do as people generally do, viz. enjoy pleasures.

^21:3 Viz. By his acts and thoughts.

^22:1 Samgayanam vusimao = samyatanam vasyavatam. Vusimao is gen. sing., it is here used in juxtaposition with a word in gen. plur. Such an irregularity would of course be impossible in classical Prakrit, but the authors of metrical Gaina Sutras take such liberties with grammar that we must put up with any faulty expression, though it would be easy to correct it by a conjecture.