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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correct manner. One of these days, he came for alms to the house of Sumukha who felt greatly pleased to receive the ascetic Sudatta. Before he gave him the alms, he followed the right discipline of removing his sandals, covering his face with a scarf, walking upto the ascetic, reverentially moving round him thrice and fetching the food from the kitchen. This way Sumukha observed the prescribed three-fold purity, that of body, mind and speech. The food that he served was also pure in the prescribed manner and his behaviour was greatly appreciated. This became clear through the appearance of five miracles in his house. Riches of different kinds, flowers of five colours and clothes of a variety of fabrics were showered in the house. Drums were beaten and a divine proclamation was heard from the sky, "O what a noble gift! O what a noble gift! O what a noble gift!"
After a long life when Sumukha would die, he would be born in the city of Hastinapura as its prince, the son of king Adinasatru.
The prince Subahu who had become a devout householder met Mahavira and under his influence he observed the posadha fast at the end of which he sat on a darbha mat and decided to observe similar difficult fasts. As he was sitting there and meditating, he thought how blessed would it be to be in the villages and settlements where the great Mahavira visits and how blessed would be the life of an ascetic with a shaven head and listen to the religious discourses of Mahavira and also follow him in his wanderings from village to village. These innermost thoughts of his mind Mahavira divined through his kevala-jñāna and he appeared in his town. Subähu renounced his householder's life and became a monk. He studied the eleven angas, observed various fasts that ascetics are supposed to observe, emaciated himself in the process. When he died, he was born as a god in the Saudharma heaven. He will again appear in the world, become a monk and after death go to Sanatkumāra heaven. After another cycle of life and renunciation, he would ascend to Brahma heaven. Later he would be in Mahäsukra heaven, ananta heaven. In this manner he will finally achieve liberation.