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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1xii. 9, XX. 2). * Compare Gen. iii. 1-6. 5 «And the eyes of them both were opened ’ (Gen. iii. 7)s * «Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man’ (Gen. iii. 23, 24). N 2 180 SIKAND-GOUMANIK VIGAR. his own will among them, avd has fashioned z¢ upon them. 78. Now which was unjust, the unreasonable command, the after-wisdom, or the scanty knowledge that was more faulty and more mischievous than these? 79. Also this, that is, why was that garden not made by him fortified and strong, so that that deluder could not have gone into z¢ ? 80. Even now he (the deceiver) has made and makes multitudes of his (the creator's) servants azd worshippers deluded; (81) and, for the same reason, multitudes of apostles and prophets (vakhshvardan) are appointed by him (the creator) for the worldly existence at various times, (82) so that, as he says: ‘They may save my servants from the hand of that deluder, (83) azd bring ¢hem into the true path and way'.’ 84. And even those worshippers of his, 7 every way through their own will, have slain and subdued (khvaft), by a wretched.death, his own apostles’, whose diligence had brought mankind into the proper path and doctrine. 85. That original deluder and misleader is allowed an eternal life. 86. Azd, even till now, his will is more triumphant azd absolute than that of the sacred being, through deluding and misleading, (87) because those deluded and astray are much more numerous than those zz the true path azd undeluded.: ~ 88. Again, observe this, does he do whatever he ‘For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake; because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people... but I (Samuel) will teach you the good and the right way’ (1 Sam. xii. 22, 23). _ * ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute’ (Luke xi. 49). CHAPTER XI, 78-102. 18t does for a purpose, or not? 89. If he does z¢ without a purpose, #e is working foolishly ; (90) and it is not proper to praise him who is working foolishly as a sagacious divinity. 91. If he does z¢ for a purpose, (92) then, when no opponent and adversary of his existed, why is the production of all these creatures which are even like demons, disobedient men wz¢h the opposing will of that contentious deluder, and innumerable unprofitable creatures ? 93. Again, observe this, that, if he knows all ¢hat is, was, and will be, it was not expedient for him to produce, through his own knowledge and will, anything of that of which he may de sorry, and which remains opposing his will and command, (94) and becomes an adversary of his apostles amd the doers of Azs will.
295. If they say that this adversary was produced good and virtuous from the beginning, avd afterwards became an evil and a misleading of the creatures, (96) that zmpies, you should say, that, when he is all-powerful, the purpose azd will of the adversary, in changing into an evil and a misleading of the creatures, are more successful and more powerful than those of the sacred being; (97) because the evil in ay period is stronger than the good. . 98. Again, observe this, that when a criminal arses wholly through his will!, (99) and the minds of criminals are defiled by him himself, (100) and the seed of crime is sown by him himself, (101) when ? z¢ has grown who has maintained z¢s origin? 102. 1 The will of the adversary is probably meant (see § 95). ? So in Sans. and JE, but AK has ‘so that.’ 182 SIKAND-GOMANIK VIGAR. And by what power of adjudication is one executed and one rewarded! ? ‘T03. Again, odserve this, was this world made and created by him (the creator) for a purpose, for his own pleasure avd for the sake of the comfort and happiness of mankind, or without a purpose, for his own discomfort and the hurry, trouble, pain, axd death of mankind? 104. For if made by him without a purpose, e was acting foolishly; (105) a thing without a purpose decmg not acceptable by the wise. 106. If made by him for a purpose, and created by him for his own pleasure and the comfort and happiness of mankind, (107) why was it not made by him prosperous avd full of happiness ? 108. If his pleasure and happiness avzse from the preparation of mankind and the creatures, what is the advantage from their slaughter and devastation? 109. If thoughts of crime are not given by him himself to mankind, who is he who gives thoughts. of crime different from his command and will? ro. If ¢hey are given by him himself, and he now considers them a fault, what is that justice and arbitration of his owing to? 111. For when mankind, with little knowledge and little wisdom, even then, so far as they are able, do not let the lion and wolf and other noxious creatures in among their own young ones and pregnant females, (112) so long as they caz destroy them, (113) why as the merciful sacred being now let? Aharman and the demons in upon his own creatures, (114) so that they have * That is, why is the sinner punished while the adversary, who occasions the sin, remains unmolested and triumphant? AK has ‘let’ written above ‘admitted.’ CHAPTER XI, 103-125. 183 made them vile !, defiled, wicked, avd hellish? 115. If done for the sake of experiment, just as that which they assert, that evil was created by him for the sake of an experiment as regards the creatures, (116) why was it not understood by him before those men and creatures exested? 117. Because he whose custom? is experiment is not to be called omniscient.
3117. Because he whose custom? is experiment is not to be called omniscient. 118. The conclusion is this, that the sacred being, if there existed no opponent and adversary of his, was able to create all those creatures and creations of his free from misfortune ; why did 4e not so create them? 119. Or was it not possible for him to wish zt? 120. If it were not possible for him to wish zt, he is not completely capable. 121. If it were possible for him not to wish 2¢, fe is not merciful. 122. If zt were known by him that he might say: ‘Something ov some one wz// arise, from these creatures azd creations which I create, that w2// not de according to my will, (123) and ultimately he made ‘hem, (124) then to attach now all this wrath and cursing avd casting away for punishment in hell, discontentedly to his own performance, is unreasonable. 125. Again, odserve this, that if all the crimemeditating avd crime-committing sin which mankind think axzd speak and do, as well as: pain, sickness, poverty, axd the punishment azd misery of hell, cannot arise, except by the will and command of the 1 P4z. khér, which Nér. seems to have identified with Pers. kar, as his Sans. gives ‘deaf.’ It may, however, mean ‘blind’ (Pers. kr), as in Chap. XII, 64, 70. * The Sanskrit takes P4z. dastfr in its more usual sense of ‘high-priest.’ 184 SIKAND-GOMANIK VIGAR. sacred being—(126) the will axa power of the sacred being deing eternal !, (127) because his self-existence is also eternal—(128) the hopelessness of eternally saving any one whatever from misery and punishment is now certain. 129. For z¢ is repeatedly declared that there is no learned teacher whatever who keeps one away from these mischievous evil desires, (130) if the worshipper de even of the same kind as those worshippers and high-priests who have issued to mankind this admonition: ‘Commit no crime and sin. 131. Because they wish to set aside the will azd command of the sacred being*®. 132. Observe this, too, that, as both are his will, alike crime and alike good works, z¢ is not manifest whether he approves the good works of doers of good works more, or the crimes of criminals. 133. Likewise odserve this, those physicians who, on account of the hope of the soul, prepare the medicine of the sick, (134) and remove azd dismiss their pain and disease, (135) so that merit is possessed by them (the physicians) owing to that practice; (136) yet they* are prepared for the punishment of hell. 137. And those who, on account of affection for the soul, give something ¢o poor, begging, suffering people, (138) and thereby scatter * and dismiss their want and poverty, (139) so that merit is possessed by them (the charitable) 1 Sans. has ‘the will of the sacred being deimg powerful and eternal.’ ‘2 Without whose will and command the sin and evil cannot arise, as assumed in § 125. 5 The sick are probably meant, but the original text is ambiguous. * Assuming that Paz. hug@rezd stands for Pahl. afikalend.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1xii. 9, XX. 2). * Compare Gen. iii. 1-6. 5 «And the eyes of them both were opened ’ (Gen. iii. 7)s * «Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man’ (Gen. iii. 23, 24). N 2 180 SIKAND-GOUMANIK VIGAR. his own will among them, avd has fashioned z¢ upon them. 78. Now which was unjust, the unreasonable command, the after-wisdom, or the scanty knowledge that was more faulty and more mischievous than these? 79. Also this, that is, why was that garden not made by him fortified and strong, so that that deluder could not have gone into z¢ ? 80. Even now he (the deceiver) has made and makes multitudes of his (the creator's) servants azd worshippers deluded; (81) and, for the same reason, multitudes of apostles and prophets (vakhshvardan) are appointed by him (the creator) for the worldly existence at various times, (82) so that, as he says: ‘They may save my servants from the hand of that deluder, (83) azd bring ¢hem into the true path and way'.’ 84. And even those worshippers of his, 7 every way through their own will, have slain and subdued (khvaft), by a wretched.death, his own apostles’, whose diligence had brought mankind into the proper path and doctrine. 85. That original deluder and misleader is allowed an eternal life. 86. Azd, even till now, his will is more triumphant azd absolute than that of the sacred being, through deluding and misleading, (87) because those deluded and astray are much more numerous than those zz the true path azd undeluded.: ~ 88. Again, observe this, does he do whatever he ‘For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake; because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people... but I (Samuel) will teach you the good and the right way’ (1 Sam. xii. 22, 23). _ * ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute’ (Luke xi. 49). CHAPTER XI, 78-102. 18t does for a purpose, or not? 89. If he does z¢ without a purpose, #e is working foolishly ; (90) and it is not proper to praise him who is working foolishly as a sagacious divinity. 91. If he does z¢ for a purpose, (92) then, when no opponent and adversary of his existed, why is the production of all these creatures which are even like demons, disobedient men wz¢h the opposing will of that contentious deluder, and innumerable unprofitable creatures ? 93. Again, observe this, that, if he knows all ¢hat is, was, and will be, it was not expedient for him to produce, through his own knowledge and will, anything of that of which he may de sorry, and which remains opposing his will and command, (94) and becomes an adversary of his apostles amd the doers of Azs will.
295. If they say that this adversary was produced good and virtuous from the beginning, avd afterwards became an evil and a misleading of the creatures, (96) that zmpies, you should say, that, when he is all-powerful, the purpose azd will of the adversary, in changing into an evil and a misleading of the creatures, are more successful and more powerful than those of the sacred being; (97) because the evil in ay period is stronger than the good. . 98. Again, observe this, that when a criminal arses wholly through his will!, (99) and the minds of criminals are defiled by him himself, (100) and the seed of crime is sown by him himself, (101) when ? z¢ has grown who has maintained z¢s origin? 102. 1 The will of the adversary is probably meant (see § 95). ? So in Sans. and JE, but AK has ‘so that.’ 182 SIKAND-GOMANIK VIGAR. And by what power of adjudication is one executed and one rewarded! ? ‘T03. Again, odserve this, was this world made and created by him (the creator) for a purpose, for his own pleasure avd for the sake of the comfort and happiness of mankind, or without a purpose, for his own discomfort and the hurry, trouble, pain, axd death of mankind? 104. For if made by him without a purpose, e was acting foolishly; (105) a thing without a purpose decmg not acceptable by the wise. 106. If made by him for a purpose, and created by him for his own pleasure and the comfort and happiness of mankind, (107) why was it not made by him prosperous avd full of happiness ? 108. If his pleasure and happiness avzse from the preparation of mankind and the creatures, what is the advantage from their slaughter and devastation? 109. If thoughts of crime are not given by him himself to mankind, who is he who gives thoughts. of crime different from his command and will? ro. If ¢hey are given by him himself, and he now considers them a fault, what is that justice and arbitration of his owing to? 111. For when mankind, with little knowledge and little wisdom, even then, so far as they are able, do not let the lion and wolf and other noxious creatures in among their own young ones and pregnant females, (112) so long as they caz destroy them, (113) why as the merciful sacred being now let? Aharman and the demons in upon his own creatures, (114) so that they have * That is, why is the sinner punished while the adversary, who occasions the sin, remains unmolested and triumphant? AK has ‘let’ written above ‘admitted.’ CHAPTER XI, 103-125. 183 made them vile !, defiled, wicked, avd hellish? 115. If done for the sake of experiment, just as that which they assert, that evil was created by him for the sake of an experiment as regards the creatures, (116) why was it not understood by him before those men and creatures exested? 117. Because he whose custom? is experiment is not to be called omniscient.
3117. Because he whose custom? is experiment is not to be called omniscient. 118. The conclusion is this, that the sacred being, if there existed no opponent and adversary of his, was able to create all those creatures and creations of his free from misfortune ; why did 4e not so create them? 119. Or was it not possible for him to wish zt? 120. If it were not possible for him to wish zt, he is not completely capable. 121. If it were possible for him not to wish 2¢, fe is not merciful. 122. If zt were known by him that he might say: ‘Something ov some one wz// arise, from these creatures azd creations which I create, that w2// not de according to my will, (123) and ultimately he made ‘hem, (124) then to attach now all this wrath and cursing avd casting away for punishment in hell, discontentedly to his own performance, is unreasonable. 125. Again, odserve this, that if all the crimemeditating avd crime-committing sin which mankind think axzd speak and do, as well as: pain, sickness, poverty, axd the punishment azd misery of hell, cannot arise, except by the will and command of the 1 P4z. khér, which Nér. seems to have identified with Pers. kar, as his Sans. gives ‘deaf.’ It may, however, mean ‘blind’ (Pers. kr), as in Chap. XII, 64, 70. * The Sanskrit takes P4z. dastfr in its more usual sense of ‘high-priest.’ 184 SIKAND-GOMANIK VIGAR. sacred being—(126) the will axa power of the sacred being deing eternal !, (127) because his self-existence is also eternal—(128) the hopelessness of eternally saving any one whatever from misery and punishment is now certain. 129. For z¢ is repeatedly declared that there is no learned teacher whatever who keeps one away from these mischievous evil desires, (130) if the worshipper de even of the same kind as those worshippers and high-priests who have issued to mankind this admonition: ‘Commit no crime and sin. 131. Because they wish to set aside the will azd command of the sacred being*®. 132. Observe this, too, that, as both are his will, alike crime and alike good works, z¢ is not manifest whether he approves the good works of doers of good works more, or the crimes of criminals. 133. Likewise odserve this, those physicians who, on account of the hope of the soul, prepare the medicine of the sick, (134) and remove azd dismiss their pain and disease, (135) so that merit is possessed by them (the physicians) owing to that practice; (136) yet they* are prepared for the punishment of hell. 137. And those who, on account of affection for the soul, give something ¢o poor, begging, suffering people, (138) and thereby scatter * and dismiss their want and poverty, (139) so that merit is possessed by them (the charitable) 1 Sans. has ‘the will of the sacred being deimg powerful and eternal.’ ‘2 Without whose will and command the sin and evil cannot arise, as assumed in § 125. 5 The sick are probably meant, but the original text is ambiguous. * Assuming that Paz. hug@rezd stands for Pahl. afikalend.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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