[ p. 264 ]
1. The sixth subject is this, that of the many good works there are those which, when they accomplish them, obtain great (’ha_th_îm) rewards; and if one does not perform them severe punishment seizes upon one at the head of the Kinvad bridge [1]. 2. One is the celebration of the season festivals [2]; the second is keeping the days of the guardian spirits [3]; the third is attending to the souls of fathers, mothers, and other relations [4]; the fourth is reciting the Khûrshêd Nyâyis [5] three times every day; the fifth is reciting the Mâh Nyâyis [6] three times every month, once when it becomes new, once when it becomes full, and once when it becomes slender [7]; and the sixth is celebrating the Rapithwin [8] ceremony once every year. 3. If not able to celebrate them oneself, it is requisite to order them, so that they may celebrate them every single time [9].
4. These six good works are things indispensable unto every one. 5. When any one of them is not performed—be it that which, if omitted at its own time [10], it is not possible to accomplish, or if it be that one time one omits an occasion, and another time [11] they accomplish twice as much—one should consider [12] that as an advantage, which occurs in retribution [ p. 265 ] for it, or as atonement for the transgression. 6. Because they call the transgression of each of these six a bridge-sin; that is, every one through whom a transgression of these may have arisen they keep back, at the head of the Kinvad bridge, till punishment for it happens to him, and no good work is possible [13] in this place, which is torment and punishment for him [14].
7. Therefore it is necessary to make an effort, that they may be performed each one at its own time, so that they may obtain a recompense, and not a severe punishment.
(264:1) See Sls. XII, 31. ↩︎
(264:2) See Mkh. IV, 5 n. ↩︎
(264:3) See Mkh. LVII, 13 n. ↩︎
(264:4) See Chap. XIII, ↩︎
(264:5) The salutation of the sun (see Chap. XCV). ↩︎
(264:6) The salutation of the moon. ↩︎
(264:7) In Gugarâti ‘on the last day.’ ↩︎
(264:8) The mid-day period. ↩︎
(264:9) Lp, B29 have ‘celebrate them on his account.’ ↩︎
(264:10) B29 inserts ‘or if it be that which, one time omitted.’ ↩︎
(264:11) B29 has merely ‘if another time.’ ↩︎
(264:12) Lp, B29 have ‘one does not consider;’ the copyists having p. 265 failed to notice that retribution and atonement are advantageous in this case, because they save the soul from punishment. ↩︎
(265:1) Lp, B29 have ‘no good work resides.’ ↩︎
(265:2) Lp, B29 have ‘which will liberate him from torment and punishment.’ ↩︎