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An, सचित्र उत्तराध्ययन सूत्र
Rigst 3teler [148]
Ascetic Chitra engrossed himself in lofty spiritual practice and attained the ultimate exalted state of the Siddha (perfected soul). On the other hand emperor Brahmadutt caught in the quagmire of mundane pleasures fell to the lowest hell, the seventh.
This story is also available in Buddhist texts with slight changes in incidents and characters.
The salient feature of this chapter is the compulsion of nidaan (wish or intense desire for mundane pleasures). These pleasures are the strongest bondage for soul. Due to infatuation with these soul suffers torments by falling into the nadir of worldly existence.
On the other hand a person detached from desires of mundane pleasures remains happy even though he may be a destitute from worldly view-point. The possession-less sages attain the supreme spiritual bliss. They reach the state of eternal, unimpeded bliss of liberation.
The fact that slavery of desires begets misery and control over them begets happiness, is emphatically established in this chapter.
There are 35 verses in this chapter.
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