Way of Life Part 4

SR No.: 006516
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Bhadraguptasuri
Publisher: Vishvakalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsana
Publication Year: 1986
Total Pages: 430
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Religion
File Size: 17 MB

Page 59

DISCOURSE 76
fied. "A shravika who has been very intimate with me has thrown this blame upon me but it is not her mistake. The mistake is mine. I am innocent. My innocence will be proved in future. But my character has been stained now. This has happened because probably in my poorvajanma, I should have made a false accusation against some innocent person. Then, I bound my soul with a sinful karma. That sinful karma has shown its effect now in this janma.
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Another point is this. The Jin's command is that sadhus and sadhvis should not have too much of intimacy with grihasthas. ignored that command of the Jin and developed intimacy with the merchant's wife. What a great blunder have I committed! If I was not so intimate with the merchant's wife, I would not have stayed so long there. I would have come away after taking the Bhiksha. I was standing there and this strange incident took place. Henceforth, I will never make the acquaintance of the grihasthas."
She was a sadhvi; you know? Therefore, she examined her inner self. She did not quarrel with the merchant's wife. She did not also get angry with her but of course, the merchant's wife was an ignorant woman. She did not think rightly. She saw the incident through the glasses of worldliness. She thought, "Even munis feel fascinated by such precious things as gold, diamonds and gems. The sadhviji's mind also was fascinated by my gold necklace and she has taken it away. I never thought that the sadhviji was such a woman. I thought the sadhviji was a woman of nobility and spiritual integrity. Even her mind became stained. I will never see her face again."
The merchant's wife did not think of one vital point, "This sadviji was a princess in her poorvavastha; that is, in her worldly life. As a princess, she possessed countless ornaments of this kind. She renounced royal splendour and possessions voluntarily. How can such a noble woman be tempted by my gold necklace? Moreover, she would not utter a lie. I have not heard her utter a single lie. She carries out very great vows. Such a sadhvi would never commit a theft".