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60
SHRAMAN MAHAVIR
The Lord had cultivated equanimity so intensely that he would take the food that would be offered to him dispassionately Some time it was a delectable dish, another time a flat one Some time it was stale food, another time warm and fresh Some time it was an unappetizing dish of Kulmash, Bakkas and Pulak+ and another time a sumptuous treat like rice boiled in milk But his equanimity was susceptible to neither
Once the Lord switched over to dry food During these experiments he subsisted on Kodu porridge, berry powder and Kulmash The experiment lasted for eight months The palate was left to itself Earlier the mind was wont to interfere with it Now it had been rendered free of the mental interference
+ Coarse mind of cereals