CHAPTER 8.

1. Sin which affects accusers is to be atoned for (vijarishn) among the accusers, and that relating to the soul is to be atoned for among the high-priests (radan), and when they do whatever the high-priests of the religion command the sin will depart, and the good works which they may thenceforth do will attain completion (avasporik). 2. The sin of him who is worthy of death (margarzan) is to be confessed (garzishno) unto the high-priests, and he is to deliver up his body; except to the high priests he is not to deliver up his body. 3. On account of the dexterity (farhang) of horsemen it is not their business to hunt (nakhchir kardano); and it is not allowable for any one else to hunt for game, except for him whose wealth is less than three hundred stirs.

4. The ceremonial worship (yazishn) of those worthy of death, which they do not perform by way of renunciation of sin, is the ceremonial which is demon worship; and when the officiating priest (aerpat) does not know it the merit (kirfak) of the ceremonial goes to the store (gang) of the angels, and they give the enjoyment which arises from that merit in the spiritual existence to the soul of that person who has at once (aevak) become righteous in mind. 5. When the mortal sinner (margarzan) has delivered his body and wealth at once to the high-priests, and engages mentally in renunciation as to the sin which has occurred, and the high-priests give him their decision (dastobarih) as to duty and good works, the duty and good works which were before performed by him come back to him; and when they inflict punishment for three nights, he does not enter hell.

6. And if the high-priest orders the cutting off of his head he is righteous on the spot, and the three nights' (satuih) ceremony is to be celebrated for him, and the account of the three nights (satuih) does not affect him. 7. And if he does not engage in renunciation he is in hell till the future existence; and in his future body they will bring him from hell, and for every mortal sin they will cut off his head once, and the last time they will make him alive again, and will inflict (numayend) three nights' severe punishment. 8. However a man engages in renunciation of sin the duty of his state of renunciation (patitih) is to be engaged therein openly and mentally in renunciation; the duty of openness is this, that the sin which he knows has assailed him, is to be specially confessed (bara gobishno) by him, and the mental duty is this, that he engages in renunciation with this thought, that 'henceforth I will not commit sin.' 9.

And that which occurs before the renunciation, except pious alms, it is well for him not to be overlooked by him, and not to be kept secret by him; for when he shall overlook, or shall keep secret, about sin committed, it becomes for him as much, some say, as three Srosho-charanams; some say that when he keeps secret about a sin of three Srosho-charanams he is worthy of death; some say much otherwise. 10. Ataro-pad son of Zartosht had remarked (pedakinid) to a disciple, about this duty, thus: 'Conform to the renunciation of sin!' and one time a secret was kept by him, and he ordered him thus: 'Henceforth be thou never apparent in this duty!' and after that he looked upon the supplication (avakhshih) and much repentance of that disciple, and even then he did not become the high-priest (dastur) over him.

11. The rule is this, that of those who would be proper for this priestly duty (dastobarih), that person is proper who is perfect in (narm) the commentary (zand) of the law, and the punishment of sin is easy for him, and he has controlled himself; some say thus: 'By whom a course of priestly studies (aerpatastan) is performed.' 12. And the punishment of sin being easy for him, and his having controlled himself are proper, and when, in danger before a menstruous woman, he engages in renunciation it is proper. 13. Neryosang said thus: 'Thou deemest it most surprising that, of the renunciation of sin with energy, whatever may be its efficacy, they have been so much of the same opinion, so that whenever they perform renunciation, however they perform it, and before whomever they perform it, whenever a sin is not even mentally originating with one a renunciation should be performed by him; and when very many mortal sins (margarzan) are committed by him, and he engages mentally in renunciation of every one separately, he is not on the way to hell, owing to his renunciation; and if there be one of which he is not in renunciation the way to hell is not closed to him, for he does not rely upon the beneficence (sud) of Ohrmazd, and it is allowable to appoint a priestly retribution (rad tojishn) to fully atone for it, and when thou appointest a priestly retribution for it, and dost not fully atone, it is allowable to inflict it justly and strongly (drubo).' 14.

When his sin is committed against (den) accusers it will be necessary to act so that the head of the family (mirak) shall not become evil-minded, and shall not divorce the wife from matrimony, and they shall not bring him on unto him; before his accusers he is to be engaged in renunciation, and when not, he is to be engaged in renunciation of the sin before the high-priests (radan), and it will become debts, and debt does not make a man wicked; its effect is this, that in the future existence they may quite forsake him, and this becomes a great shame, and they disturb (kavend) his enjoyment. 15.

As to the sin which affects the accusers, when the female has atoned for it, its stem (payak) is atoned for; some say that the stem (payakghih) has no root; some say that it is just like a tree whose leaves wither away. 16. Sin relating to the soul, when one engages in renunciation, stays away from him; when it shall be fully atoned for it is well, and when he does not fully atone they will make him righteous by the three nights' (satuih) punishment. 17. Kushtano-bujed said that even that which affects accusers, when one engages in renunciation, stays away from him. 18. Nosai Burz-Mitro spoke these three sayings, that is, 'Next-of-kin marriage will extirpate mortal sins (margarzan), and the sacred twigs when their ablution is such as renders them improper for firewood, and a man when his wife becomes pregnant by him.' 19.

Whoever commits a sin against (den) water, and kills a lizard, or other noxious water-creature, has atoned for it; also when thou atonest to (den) fire for that against water it is proper, and when thou atonest to water for that against fire it is proper; some say that even a scorpion is proper to be killed. 20. And when a sin of one tanapuhr is committed by him, and he shall consecrate a sacred cake (dron), or shall accomplish a good work of one tanapuhr, it has atoned for it. 21. When he has committed a mortal sin (margarzan), and engages mentally in renunciation, and the high-priest (rad) knows that, though he ought to give up his body, he will not give it up, it is allowable when he shall kill him; that is, because he relies upon the beneficence (sud) of Ohrmazd.

22. Moreover, from the rule (mank) 'yazemna kat na hakat' ('through being worshipped what then at once,' &c.) it is evident, and it becomes his through ceremonial ablution of the hands; it amounts to a whole quarry (kano) of good works, and the worship of God (yazishn-i yazdano) is to be performed for him. 23. Adarbad Mahraspandan said that it is always necessary to be more diligent in performing one's worship of God at the time that many mortal sins are committed; all sins being admissible into renunciation, when thou shalt atone by complete self-sacrifice (pur-jan-dadiha), and when one engages in renunciation of the sin from its root, he becomes free from the sin in renunciation of which sin he engaged; for Ohrmazd will not leave his own creatures unto the evil spirit, unless on the path of non-renunciation.