Kshamapana

SR No.: 034280
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: Jaibhikkhu Sahitya Trust
Publication Year: 1999
Total Pages: 24
Language: Gujarati
Classification: Book_Gujarati
File Size: 1 MB

Page 9

16 Kshamapana
"No."
"Then you should practice penance. You made a wrong statement," said Anand with confidence.
This statement of the monk's devotees confused Guru Gautama for a while. People began to say that Ananda had crossed the limits of polite speech on the one hand, there was Gautama, the greatest of monks, and on the other hand, there was Ananda, the layman. An ocean is an ocean and a lake is a lake. Guru Gautama is an ocean of knowledge. A lake has its limits. Can an ocean have a boundary?
Gautama, the great ganadhara, was very eager to know the truth. He soon went to Bhagavan Mahavir and narrated the incident. He asked in humility, "Bhagavan! Who should practise penance for this - I or Ananda ?" Without the least hesitation, Mahavir, the great justifier and propounder of truth, said, "Gautama! You should practise penance for this. You should immediately ask Ananda's forgiveness."
As a wild storm shakes all the trees in a forest, so there was a violent commotion in the atmosphere. What a judgement! God Himself asked his chief disciple to beg pardon. No concession, no moderation! In case Gautama of
Kshamapana 17 vast knowledge made a mistake, he could be asked privately to practise penance. But to go to a shravak to beg his pardon was improbable, impossible. Between Gautama and Ananda the difference was great. The Shravak who had a little knowledge of religion and religious rites, and Gautama who had explored the vast ocean of religious principles were poles apart.
The world wondered but Gautama who had conquered pride and arrogance went straight to Ananda and said, "Ananda, you are right. I ask your forgiveness (michchhami dukkadam) for my wrong statement."
Tears flowed from Ananda's eyes. Joining his hands in supplication he said, "You have brightened my last hour. What humility befitting a man of knowledge ! What modesty, difficult to attain even after a number of bhavas (births) ! Victory! Victory of Lord Mahavir ! Victory of Gautama of wast knowledge !"
While begging pardon one should be humble and modest. "That is why Bhrami and Sundari, the two savant sisters of Bahubali, said to him, "My brother! Alight from the elephant." These words reminded Bahubali of his great fault. "His younger brothers who had taken the diksha