Treasury of Jain Tales

SR No.: 006762
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre
Publication Year: 1994
Total Pages: 468
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

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Sthulabhadra practised severe austerity at the feet of a famous sage Sambhūtavijaya who also had two other disciples. As a part of their way of life, they went out travelling and in the process they came to Pät aliputra where simple letters (running) Sambhūtavijaya administered monk's oaths to Sthulabhadra and the other two of the disciples. One of them chose a lion's cave as his abode and the other entered a hole where a huge poisonous snake lived. When the two animals saw the monks, they felt greatly pacified and allowed them residence with themselves. Sthūlabhadra however chose to go back to the house of the courtesan with whom he had lived in the past. She was very happy to receive Sthūlabhadra back home. She asked what she could do for him. He said that he would be happy to have a small place for himself in her garden house. In the night however she came to Sthūlabhadra all decked up and started making amorous Overtures to him but Sthulabhadra remained unmoved like a rock. She realised his inner strength and hereafter approached him with no such intentions. In time to come, he passed on moral instruction to her and she was prepared to receive his doctrine. Finally she became a sravikā (a lay follower of the Jain faith). She said she would not hereafter yield to any of the pleasures of the world unless commanded by the king.
After a successful completion of a four month fast, the three monks came back to their teacher Sambhūtavijaya who received them with proper appreciation but when he saw Sthūlabhadra, he showed his respect for him by rising from his seat and the other two felt sad that the teacher was showing preferential treatment to Sthūlabhadra who after all was a minister's son.
In the next season when another fast of four months was to be observed, in a secluded place the monk who had first chosen lion's den declared his intention to spend his time in the courtesan's place where Sthūlabhadra had lived. His teacher tried to dissuade him but he was firm and when he went to the courtesan's place, she gave him shelter but he could not resist himself and felt greatly attracted by her charms, and started making approaches to her but she would not respond. Finally, in order to get rid of him she made an impossible condition that he should give her a huge amount of