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In the Mahapurana, Uttara Purana, it is said that the great king Ananda, who enjoyed divine pleasures for twenty-seven Sagaras, was born in Ayodhya, the capital of the Kosala kingdom, in the Ikshvaku dynasty, descended from Kashyapa. He was the son of King Vajra Bahu and Queen Prabhankari.
One day, following the advice of his chief minister, Swamihita, King Ananda organized a grand puja during the eight days of the Vasant (Spring) season.
The great sage Vipulamati, known for his vast wisdom, arrived to witness the puja. King Ananda, with great humility, bowed to the sage and listened to his teachings on the true nature of Dharma, which brings happiness to all beings.
Then, the king asked the sage, "O revered one, I have a doubt. The image of the Jina is inanimate, devoid of the power to inflict or bestow favors. How then does the worship of such an image bring merit to the devotees?"
The sage replied, "O King, listen! Though the image of the Jina and the Jina temple are inanimate, they are the cause of the binding of merit for the worthy souls. The binding of merit actually arises from the consequences, and the Jina's image and temple are the cause of those consequences.
The Jina is free from all vices like attachment, aversion, and delusion. He is detached from scriptures, ornaments, and other worldly things. His face shines like the radiant moon. He is the knower of all worlds, both material and spiritual. He has achieved his goal and is free from all attachments, including his hair. He is the Supreme Soul.
Therefore, those who see the Jina's temple and his image experience a great increase in auspicious consequences, which cannot be achieved through any other means.
All actions arise from both internal and external causes. Therefore, it is important to understand that the Jina's image is the cause of the auspicious consequences that arise from the binding of merit."
As the sage was giving this discourse, he wished to describe the form of the Jina temples in the three worlds. He began by describing the magnificent Jina temple located in the sun's chariot.
Hearing this extraordinary description, King Ananda was filled with great faith. From that day onwards, he would offer his prayers to the Jina, with folded hands, at the beginning and end of each day, praising the Jina with a humble heart, as the sun shone in the sky.