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calls himself a Jina. On hearing these words of Bhagavāna Mahāvira, a rumour went round that Gośāla was not a Jina. Hearing such a talk in different parts of the town, Gośāla was greatly enraged.
One day, when Äņanda sicie a disciple of Bhagavāna Śrî Mabāvīra Swāmi was on a begging-tour for alms, Gośāla addressed him thus:- 'O Ananda just hear a story from me
"Some merchants went to a foreign country with carts full of various groceries for sale. On their way, they entered a big forest. There was no water anywhere. They became very thirsty, and hence, they went in search of water. They saw four hillocks with snake-burrows There was green foliage around the hillocks, and so, they thought that there must be water in the hillocks. They dug out one hillock and obtained a large quantity of water. They quenched their thirst with the water and fijled their vessels witb it. An old man from them, said 'Our object is served; please, therefore, do not dig the second hillock. Still, they dug the second hillock, and they got gold from it. Still however, although imploringly forbidden by the old man they cluy out the third hillock, and obtained jewels from it. The old man again advised them “ Brothern! You have got water, you obtained gold und jewels, please, therefore, do not dig the fourth hillock." I do not see any good future in this, please, bear in mind this advice from old man, and let us go our own way. Although the merchants were chus vehemently forbidden, they dug the fourth billock out of avarice A huge snake emitting poison from its eyes, rushed ont from its burrow, and going up angrily to the top of the hillock, threw tbe poison all around killing all the merchants then and there. The old nan, who used to forbld them by good advice was very honest, and so, the delty of the forest, out of compassion for hirn, took him alive to his place of residence.
" In the same manner, O Āņanda! your preceptor not satisfied with so much prosperity of his own, enrages me by
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