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ELABORATION:
(6) The serpent of the Agandhan species-Mention is found in the scriptures of numerous species of snakes. Two importantones are Agandhan and Gandhan. The snake of the Gandhan species sucks back its venom from the body of its victim when summoned with the help of a mantra. But that belonging to the Agandhan species prefers to turn into ashes rather than to suck back the vomited venom.
Giving this example, Sati Rajimati explained to ascetic Rathnemi, “Rather than yielding to the once abandoned desires it is better to die like a snake of the Agandhan species. (see illustration No. 4). In this context Acharya Mahaprajna has quoted a similar story from the Jatak Tales
Once the Buddha said to his disciples, "Bhikkhus! Sariputra does not accept a thing once abandoned even if he has to lose his life." And he then narrated a story about one of his past incarnations-In the remote past, king Brahmdatt ruled over Varanasi. During that period Boddhisatva was born as a venomdoctor. Once a villager was bitten by a snake. The members of his family at once called the venom-doctor. The doctor asked, "Should I cure him by medicine or call back the snake and make him suck back the venom?" The family members asked him to call the snake. The doctor called the snake and asked it, “Did you bite this person?" The snake replied, "Yes! It was I who bit this man."
The doctor, "Suck back the venom."
I have
The snake, "I have never sucked back the venom expelled. So I will not do now."
The doctor asked for wood and lit a fire. He then said to the snake, “If you do not suck back the venom you will be Thrown into the fire."
The snake said, "I would prefer to turn into ashes rather than to suck back the venom I have once expelled," and it recited a verse
द्वितीय अध्ययन : श्रामण्यपूर्विका Second Chapter : Samanna Puvviya
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