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piece of divine cloth, which had by itself, fallen on the ground, the Brahmana went away extremely delighted.
Thus evidently with the object of enforcing the necessity of Sa-vastra dharma ( putting on of clothes etc.) on ascetics, Śramana Bhagavan Mahavira put on a cloth for more than one year and one month, and he had his first meal after Dīkṣā in a vessel belonging to Brāhmaṇa Bahula (a house-holder) with the object of advising Sa-pătra (with vessels utensils etc.) dharma for ascetics. After this Śramana Bhagavan Mahāvīra was without clothes and without patras during the remaining part of his life, He was a karapatri (using the cavity of his hand as a vessel).
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The question is Why did not the extremely compassionate Śramana Bhagavan Mahāvīra give the entire divine cloth but he gave only half the portion of the cloth? Some say - Although, the giver of the gift - Śranana Bhagavan Mahavira-was entirely devoid of a desire for any worldly object, the giving of only half the portion, is indicative of a desire of acquisition of clothes and pära (utensils) on the part of ascetics of Śramana Bhagavān Mahavira.
Others say "That the giving only half the portion of divine cloth is indicative of his natural avarice resulting from his taking the form of a foetus in the family of a Brahmana."
The next question is: Why did Śramaņa Bhagavan Mahävira look at the portion of the divine cloth with a simhāvalokana (looking backward with his neck bent a little backward like a lion running forward for some distance, and then looking behind with his neck turned behind when it fell down on the bank of
the river. Some say "It was due to mamalva (attachment) " Others say: To see whether vastra and pătra (clo.hes and utensils etc) will be easily obtained by his ascitics or whether they will be had with great difficulty. The elders eay:- Since the piece of divine cloth was entangled in thorns the Śāsana regime) of Śramaṇa Bhagavan Mahavira will be thorny, and he
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| SR No. | 008002 |
| Book Title | Shraman Bhagvana Mahavira Part 2 Vibhag 1 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Ratnaprabhvijay, D P Thaker |
| Publisher | Parimal Publication |
| Publication Year | 1989 |
| Total Pages | 623 |
| Language | English, Sanskrit |
| Classification | Book_English, Biography, History, & Religion |
| File Size | 14 MB |