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QUELLTID
without food his body cannot exist; and without the body he cannot engage in his practices!
The solution to this complex problem has been provided with the help of an example—the attitude of the bumble-bee. Just as a bumble-bee sucks pollen from flowers just a little at a time and satisfies its need without harming the flowers in any way, the ascetic should also collect food from numerous houses without causing any inconvenience or pain to anyone, and should do so only in order to maintain his body and continue his spiritual pursuits. This is called the attitude of the bumble-bee.
Acharyashri Bhadrabahu says, "Here bumble-bee is used as a metaphor.” The subject is an ascetic. Its activities of wandering and not depending on one source for sustenance, and also of nonharming intent, are used as a symbol of the ascetic attitude. Four well known qualities of a bumble-bee are—
1. It does not destroy for its subsistence. 2. It collects the naturally produced pollen from flowers. 3. It satisfies its need by collecting a little from each of many
flowers. 4. It collects only for its immediate needs and does not store for
future needs. A shraman follows these ideals. Therefore, the attitude guiding his alms collection is called the attitude of the bumble-bee.
While describing the ascetic way of subsistence some other virtues of a shraman have been explained in this chapter. The title of the chapter is Drum-Pushpika. Drum means tree and Pushp means flower. Using these metaphors shramans have been advised to practice the dharma that includes ahimsa, discipline, and austerities.
According to Acharya Bhadrabahu religion is dependent on the devotees. Therefore, in this chapter the devotee has been praised as a way of praising religion.
श्री दशवकालिक सूत्र : Shri Dashavaikalik Sutra
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