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42
SHRAMAN MAHAVIR
on the soft mental sands can be emptied like the water of a tank The device to keep it free of sludge and water is to close the streams that pour in incessantly
4
The thought-process grew profounder A group of travellers happened to visit the grove then They saw Lord Mahavira One of them advanced and questioned the Lord about his identity The Lord was too absorbed with his own self to respond He ventured to repeat his humble query
'Who do you happen to be, Sir'
'I am engaged in the process of knowing who I am'
'I cannot follow riddles Pray let me know who you are plainly'
'I am a bhiksu (monk)'
'It is our haunt of pleasure Why should you occupy it by standing here?'
'The purpose that led me to be a bhiksu causes me to stand thus '
'Who permitted you to be here?'
'The place belongs to none and hence it is as good as given by all
'Well, you say you are a bhiksu, you may then preach us 'I am myself in quest of truth yet'
The interrogator left the place dissatisfied with his futile labour
It was almost dusk Then followed the usual night-a particularly dark night A couple came wandering The male shouted from outside
'Who's there?'
No response 'Who's there?' No response
The couple stepped in They detected the hazy contours of a human figure in one corner The man approached it and ventilated his annoyance, 'What do you mean by not responding thrice?' He began to call him names and left 1
1 'Ayaro' 9/2/11, 12, 'Acharangchurni' p 316
