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Kshamapana lake. Guru Gautama is an ocean of knowledge. A lake has its limits. Can an ocean have a boundary ?
Gautama, the great ganadhara, was very eager to know the truth. He soon went to Bhagwan Mahavira and narrated the incident. He asked in humility, "Bhagwan ! Who should practise penance for this - I or Ananda ?" Without the least hesitation, Mahavira, the great justifier and propounder of truth, said, "Gautama ! You should practise penance for this. You should immediately ask Ananda's forgiveness."
As a wild storm shakes all the trees in a forest, so there was a violent commotion in the atmosphere. What a judgement ! God Himself asked his chief disciple to beg pardon. No concession, no moderation ! In case Gautama of vast knowledge made a mistake, he could be asked privately to practise penance. But to go to a shravak to beg his pardon was improbable, impossible. Between Gautama and Ananda the difference was great. The Shravak who had a little knowledge of religion and religious rites, and Gautama who had explored the vast ocean of religious principles were poles apart.
The world wondered, but Gautama, who had conquered pride and arrogance, went straight to Ananda and said, "Ananda, you are right. I ask your forgiveness (michchhami dukkadam) for my wrong statement."
Tears flowed from Ananda's eyes. Joining his hands in supplication he said, “You have brightened my last hour. What humility befitting a man of knowledge! What modesty, difficult to attain even after a number of bhavas (births) ! Victory! Victory of Lord Mahavira ! Victory of Gautama of vast knowledge !"
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