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9. SAYYAMBHAVA AND HIS SON
MANAKA
The last Tirthankara, Vardhamăna had the sage Sudharman as his disciple and Sudharman's disciple was Jambū and Jambū's disciple was Prabhava. They were all worthy gurus and worthy disciples but Prabhava was not quite sure whether he had found amongst his students or for that matter in that entire sangha any one who was worthy enough to occupy his exalted position after his death. He looked at all the monks that he knew of but they left him in despair. Then he considered householders who could fill the bill. His mind rested on Sayyambhava, who was a Brahmin. When Prabhava made up his mind that it would be this Brahmin that he would select, Sayyambhava the Brahmin was performing a sacrifice in Rājagrha. Prabhavawent there and camped outside the city. He sent two of his monks to beg for food at the place of the sacrifice. He had instructed the monks that in case alms were refused, they should shout loudly that nobody around there ever knew the 'True Faith'.
When accordingly Prabhava's monks raised the hue and cry at the place of the sacrifice, the priest in charge told them that it was the Vedic religion that embodied the true faith and the Jain monks should not persist in asking for alms there. Sayyambhava did not like the priest to say all this and even threatened him if he did not exactly disclose the true faith to him. The priest confessed that a Jain symbol was buried under the sacrificial post and that the Jain faith was the true faith.
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