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The wisdom of The Law of Manu

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L et him not insult those who have redundant limbs or are deficient in limbs, nor those destitute of knowledge, nor very aged men, nor those who have no beauty or wealth, nor those who are of low birth.

temple_hindu

quote 8436 | The Law of Manu
The Law of Manu, Tr. George Buhler, 4.141

H e who desires happiness must strive after a perfectly contented disposition and control himself; for happiness has contentment for its root, the root of unhappiness is the contrary (disposition).

temple_hindu

quote 8435 | The Law of Manu
The Law of Manu, Tr. George Buhler, 4.12

W here the husband is pleased with his wife and the wife with her husband, happiness will assuredly be lasting.

temple_hindu

quote 8434 | The Law of Manu
The Law of Manu, Tr. George Buhler, 3.60

T hat trouble (and pain) which the parents undergo on (their) birth of their children, cannot be compensated even in a hundred years.

temple_hindu

quote 8433 | The Law of Manu
The Law of Manu, Tr. George Buhler, 2.227

W ay must be made for a man in a carriage, for one who is above ninety years old, for one diseased, for the carrier of a burden, for a woman, for a Snataka, for the king, and for a bridegroom.

temple_hindu

quote 8432 | The Law of Manu
The Law of Manu, Tr. George Buhler, 2.138

( Even forgetful) students of the (sacred) books are more distinguished than the ignorant, those who remember them surpass the (forgetful) students, those who possess a knowledge (of the meaning) are more distinguished than those who (only) remember (the words), men who follow (the teaching of the texts) surpass those who (merely) know (their meaning).

temple_hindu

quote 8431 | The Law of Manu
The Law of Manu, Tr. George Buhler, 12.103

I n whatever order (a man) who knows the true meaning of the Veda-science may dwell, he becomes even while abiding in this world, fit for the union with Brahman.

temple_hindu

quote 8430 | The Law of Manu
The Law of Manu, Tr. George Buhler, 1886, 12.102

I f the punishment does not fall on the offender himself, it falls on his
sons; if not on the sons, on his grandsons.

temple_hindu

quote 4319 | The Law of Manu
Laws of Manu 4.173

L eaving the dead body on the ground like a log of wood or a clod of earth, the relatives depart with averted faces; but spiritual merit follows the soul.

Let him therefore always slowly accumulate spiritual merit, in order that it may be his companion after death; for without merit as his companion he will traverse a gloom difficult to traverse.

That companion speedily conducts the man who is devoted to duty and effaces his sins by austerities, to the next world, radiant and clothed with an ethereal body.

temple_hindu

quote 4237 | The Law of Manu
Laws of Manu 4.241-43

A ction, which springs from the mind, from speech, and from the body, produces either good or evil results; by action are caused the conditions of men, the highest, the middling, and the lowest.

A man obtains the result of a good or evil mental act in his mind; that of a verbal act in his speech; that of a bodily act in his body.

In consequence of sinful acts committed with his body, a man becomes in the next birth an inanimate thing; in consequence of sins committed by speech, he becomes a bird or a beast; in consequence of mental sins he is reborn in a low caste.

temple_hindu

quote 4170 | The Law of Manu
Laws of Manu 12.3,8,9

U nrighteousness, practiced in this world, does not at once produce its fruit; but, like a cow, advancing slowly, it cuts off the roots of him who committed it.

temple_hindu

quote 4166 | The Law of Manu
Laws of Manu 4.172

B y deep meditations, let him recognize the subtle nature of the supreme Soul (1), and it presence in all organisms, both the highest and the lowest.

temple_hindu

quote 3963 | The Law of Manu
VI, 65, Translation by G. Buhler in Sacred Books of the East, xxv (Oxford, 1886), pp. 204-10

(1) Brahman

D elighting in what refers to the Soul, (1) sitting (in the postures prescribed by the Yoga), independent (of external help), entirely abstaining from sensual enjoyments, with himself for his only companion, he shall live in this world, desiring the bliss (of final liberation). . . .

By the restraint of his senses, by the destruction of love, (2) and hatred, and by the abstention from injuring the creatures, (3) he becomes fit for immortality.

temple_hindu

quote 3962 | The Law of Manu
VI, 49,60, Translation by G. Buhler in Sacred Books of the East, xxv (Oxford, 1886), pp. 204-10

1 Atman. 2 Or, affection, passion (raga). 3 Ahimsa, non-injury

L et him reflect on the transmigrations of men, caused by their sinful deeds, on their falling into hell, and on the torments in the world of Yama,

On the separation from their dear ones, on their union with hated men, on their being overpowered by age and being tormented with diseases,

On the departure of the individual soul from this body and its new birth in (another) womb, and on its wanderings through ten thousand millions of existences,

temple_hindu

quote 3961 | The Law of Manu
VI, 61-63, Translation by G. Buhler in Sacred Books of the East, xxv (Oxford, 1886), pp. 204-10

H e who after passing from order to order, after offering sacrifices and subduing his senses, becomes, tired with (giving) alms and offerings of food, an ascetic, gains bliss after death. [...]

Departing from his house fully provided with the means of purification (Pavitra), (1) let him wander about absolutely silent, and caring nothing for enjoyments that may be offered (to him).

Let him always wander alone, without any companion, in order to attain (final liberation), fully understanding that the solitary (man, who) neither forsakes nor is forsaken, gains his end.

He shall neither possess a fire, nor a dwelling, he may go to a village for his food, (he shall be) indifferent to everything, firm of purpose, mediating (and) concentrating his mind on Brahman. . . .[…]

temple_hindu

quote 3960 | The Law of Manu
VI, 33,34,41-43, Translation by G. Buhler in Sacred Books of the East, xxv (Oxford, 1886), pp. 204-10

1 Construed as either his capacities after having completed three states of life, or his 'equipment' such as staff and water-pot.

L et him not desire to die, let him not desire to live; let him wait for (his appointed) time, as a servant (waits) for the payment of his wages.

temple_hindu

quote 3959 | The Law of Manu
VI, 45, Translation by G. Buhler in Sacred Books of the East, xxv (Oxford, 1886), pp. 204-10

B ut having thus passed the third part of (a man's natural term of) life in the forest, he may live as an ascetic during the fourth part of his existence, after abandoning all attachments to worldly objects. (1)

temple_hindu

quote 3958 | The Law of Manu
VI, 33, Translation by G. Buhler in Sacred Books of the East, xxv (Oxford, 1886), pp. 204-10

(1) Reference here is to the ideal four stages (ashramas) of the Brahman's life: student (brahmacarin), householder (grihastha), hermit or forest-dweller (vanaprastha), and finally, ascetic or mendicant (yati, bhikshu, parivrajaka, samnyasin).

T his (universe) existed in the shape of Darkness, (1) unperceived, destitute of distinctive marks, unattainable by reasoning, unknowable, wholly immersed, as it were, in deep sleep.

Then the divine Self-existent (2) indiscernible, (but) making (all) this, the great elements and the rest, discernible, appeared with irresistible (creative) power, dispelling the darkness.

He who can be perceived by the internal organ (3) (alone), who is subtle, indiscernible, and eternal, who contains all created beings and is inconceivable, shone forth of his own (will). (4)

He, desiring to produce beings of many kinds from his own body, first with a thought created (5) the waters, and placed [his] seed in them.

That (seed) became a golden egg, (6) in brilliancy equal to the sun;
in that (egg) he himself was born as Brahmin, the progenitor of the whole world.

The waters were called naras, (for) the waters are, indeed, the offspring of Nara; as they were his (7) first residence (ayana), he thence is named Narayana . (8)

From that (first) cause, which is indiscernible, eternal, and both real and unreal, (9) was produced that male (Purusha), (10) who is famed in this world (under the appellation of) Brahmin.

The divine one resided in that egg during a whole year, (11) then he himself by his thought (12) (alone) divided it into two halves;

And out of those two halves he formed heaven and earth, between them the middle sphere, the eight points of the horizon, and the eternal abode of the waters.

From himself (atmanas) he also drew forth the mind, (13) which is both real and unreal, likewise from the mind egoism, (14) which possesses the function of self-consciousness (and is) lordly:

Moreover, the great one, (15) the soul, (16) and all products affected by the three qualities, (17) and, in their order, the five organs which perceive the objects of sensation. (18)

But, joining minute particles even of those six, (19) which possess measureless power, with particles of himself he created all beings.

temple_hindu

quote 3932 | The Law of Manu
1, 5-16, Translation by G. buhler, in Sacred Books of the East, XXV (Oxford,1886), PP. 2-8

1 Tamas, a darkness both physical and mental. The Samkhya system finds considerable significance in this stanza: tamas, one of the three twisted strands (gunas) of cosmic substance, represents inertia. 2 Svayambhu, an epithet of Brahmin (masculine), who is the impersonal Absolute (Brahman neuter) personified as manifest god. 3 Atindriya, literally that spirit or mind 'beyond the senses.' 4 i.e., became self-manifest. 5 Or, released. 6 As 'the shape of Darkness' (vs. I) and the environmental 'waters' recall the Rig Vedic creation hymn X, 120, so does this golden 'egg' (anda) and its seed (bija) recall the hiranyagarbha of Rig Veda, X, 121. 7 Brahmin's. 8 An example of popular etymology, nara being primal man or eternal spirit. 9 Literally, having existence (sat) and non-existence (asat) as its nature. 10 See the Purushasukta, Rig Veda, X .90 11 Early commentators disagreed, some saying that the 'year' was a 'year of Brahmin,' others maintaining that a human year is meant, as in the similar version of this selection, Shatapatha- bramana, XI, I, 6, 1 ff. 12 Meditation (dhyana). 13 Manas, mind or intelligence, as distinct from spirit (atman). 14 Ahamkara, literally 'the making of "I" (aham)'; the principle of individuation. 15 Mahat, the 'great'; in Samkhya also called buddhi, consciousness. 16 Atman. 17 Gunas. 18 Tanmatras, subtle elements. 19 Again, the Indian commentators are at variance in their interpretations of these last three lines. Probably 'those six' are classes of tattvas (elements) mentioned in the preceding two verses, in the order: manas, ahamkara, mahat, atman, tattvas affected by the gunas, tanmatras. 'It is interesting to compare the Samkya evolutes of prakriti. Here twenty-five tattvas, a rearrangement of 'those six' above, evolve with greater systematization: (1) purusha; and from prakriti, (2) mahat, (3) ahamkara, (4) manas, (5) five sense organs and five motor organs, (6) five subtle elements (tanmatras) and five gross elements (mahabhutas). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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On other page(s): History and calligraphy of The Law of Manu

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