Unknown Pilgrims

SR No.: 007014
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: N Shanta
Publisher: Sri Satguru Publications Delhi
Publication Year: 1997
Total Pages: 820
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

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The Unknown Pilgrims
women, places of amusement. Among the crowd were to be found musicians, storytellers, actors, wrestlers...he went his way, replying to no questions and greeting no one. He was beaten with a stick, but remained at peace.40 In full awareness of the life which animates the earth, water, fire, the wind and the plants, he was careful never to damage them on his way.41 His wisdom revealed to him the working of karman that is the cause of the suffering of all beings; he renounced sin, particularly as regards that which concerns food, accepting pure food prepared for the family where he was seeking alms, but refusing food if prepared specially for himself. He was temperate in all things, indifferent to food and drink.42
How and where did he dwell during the more than twelve years of inner journeying towards perfect knowledge? The answer is simple: he contented himself with whatever he found on the road and stayed there in a state of recollection:
Sometimes he dwelt in workshops, sometimes in meeting-halls, in wells, shops, factories or on a heap of straw.43
He lodged sometimes in shelters for travellers, in a garden shed, in a village, and sometimes in a town, in a place set aside for cremations or in an abandoned house, sometimes also under a tree;44 the Muni Śramaņa dwelt in these places of refuge for
40 Ibid., 4-9.
41 Ibid., 11-12; 20.
42 Ibid., 14-19.
43 avesana-sabhä-pavāsu, paniyasälāsu egada vaso
aduvā paliyattānesu, palálapumjesu egadā vaso. AS I, 8, 2, 2.
44 ăgamtāre ärāmāgāre, gāme nagarevi egadā vaso
susane sunnagare vă, rukkhamule vi agada vaso. ASI, 8, 2, 3.