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Agam Sutra 39, Cheda Sutra-5, 'Mahanisitha'
Study/Purpose/Sutra Number Sutra-1147-1156
O Bhagavan! I do not know about Lakshmanā Āryā, who was ignorant and impure, and due to whom the tradition of suffering was obtained. O Gautama! For the five Bharata and five Ārdraka regions, in the entire time of Utsarpinī and Avasarpinī, this is an extremely unstable thing in each universe. The state of the world is always lasting. O Gautama! I am like that, of the size of seven hands, who is worshipped by devas and asuras, just as the last Tīrthaṅkara was. At that time, there was a king named Jambūdvīpa. He had a wife named Saritā, who had many sons. Since he had no daughter, at some point the king, along with his wife, worshipped devas, clan deities, and the planets of the moon and sun to obtain a daughter. In due course, a girl was born with lotus-like eyes. She was named Lakshmanā Devī.
Now, at some point, when Lakshmanā Devī reached the age of youth, a svayaṃvara was arranged. In it, she married an excellent groom who was delightful to the eyes and like a treasure house of arts. But immediately after the marriage, her husband died. Therefore, she became completely unconscious, fainted. Her kinsmen with difficulty revived her with the cool breeze of the fan. Then, with loud wailing, she started beating her chest and head. She started crawling, hitting and beating herself in all ten directions. The kinsmen consoled her and after some days, she stopped weeping and became calm.
Sutra - 1157-1163
At some point, the Tīrthaṅkara Bhagavān, who was like the blossoming of the lotus-like living being, came there and preached in the garden. The king, along with his inner apartments, army, and vehicles, went there to worship him with devotion. After listening to the Dharma, he, along with his inner apartments, sons, and daughters, accepted dīkṣā. With auspicious mental dispositions, he started performing severe, extremely difficult, and arduous austerities without any delusion. At some point, he made everyone enter the state of the ascetic. But he did not send Lakshmanā Devī for the performance of the ritual of non-study, as she was sitting alone in the upāśraya, contemplating that the life of the loving couple is successful. She saw the pair of birds playing and thought that this bird, which is caressing its beloved, is giving it the highest bliss and happiness.
Sutra - 1164-1169
Here, when the Tīrthaṅkara Bhagavān is engaged in the erotic play of man and woman, why did we prohibit seeing them? They, being free from the pain of suffering, cannot recognize the happiness of others. Although fire has the nature of burning, if seen with the eyes, it does not burn the seer. Or no, no, no, no, what the Bhagavān has commanded is indeed true. They will not act in the opposite way. Seeing the pair of birds playing, my mind was disturbed. The desire for a man has manifested in me, that I should engage in sexual intercourse with him. But today I have contemplated that I cannot even do it in a dream. And further, in this birth, I have not desired a man even in my mind. If I have not even desired him in a dream, then I am indeed an unfortunate sinner with a perverse nature, and I have hoped for the Tīrthaṅkara by thinking crooked and false.
Sutra - 1170-1173
The Tīrthaṅkara Bhagavān has also taught the extremely difficult, severe, and arduous vow that is to be observed. Then who can be capable of observing this vow in the threefold manner? Even after properly practicing with speech and body, it is not possible to protect with the third, the mind. Or the concern for suffering is taken. This is still done comfortably, one who has become pure-minded is considered skilled in all activities. So, having doubts on this subject, if suddenly this lapse has occurred to me and I have incurred a fault, let me quickly perform the expiation by self-reflection and observance.