Jain Journal 1967 04

SR No.: 520006
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 1967
Total Pages: 104
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 6 MB

Page 57

184
JAIN JOURNAL
And in the very middle of this lotus-pool there grew one big white lotus, the best of Nymphaeas, in an excellent position, tall, brilliant, of fine colour, smell, taste, and touch.
There came a man from the Eastern quarter to the lotus-pool, and standing on the bank of it he saw that big white lotus and said to himself : 'I am a knowing, clever, well-informed, discerning, wise, not foolish man, who keeps the way, knows the way, and is acquainted with a direction and bent of the way. I shall fetch that white lotus, the best of all Nymphaeas.' Having said this the man entered the lotus-pool. And the more he proceeded, the more the water and the mud seemed to extend. He had left the shore, and he did not come up to the white lotus, the best of Nymphaeas, he could not get back to this bank, nor to the opposite one, but in the middle of the lotus-pool he stuck in the mud.
Then there came a man from the Southern quarter to the lotuspool, and standing on the bank of it he saw that big white lotus and also saw one man who had left the shore, but had not come up to the white lotus, the best of Nymphaeas, who could not get back to his bank, nor to the opposite one, but stuck in the mud in the middle of the lotus-pool. He said to himself : 'This man is not knowing, not clever and is not acquainted with the direction and bent of the way. I am knowing, clever and acquainted with the direction and bent of the way. I shall fetch that white lotus, the best of Nymphaeas.' But this white lotus, the best of Nymphaeas, cannot be got in the way this man tried.
The same thing happened to a third and a fourth man, who came from the Western and the Northern quarters respectively, and saw two and three men respectively sticking in the mud.
Now a monk living on low food and desiring to get to the shore of the sarsāra, knowing, clever and acquainted with the direction and bent of the way, came to that lotus-pool from some one of the four quarters. Standing on the bank of the lotus-pool he saw the big white lotus and saw there those four men who having left the shore, stuck in the mud. The monk said to himself : ‘These men are not knowing, not acquainted with the direction and bent of the way. I am a monk living on low food, acquainted with the direction and bent of the way. I shall fetch that white lotus, the best of Nymphaeas.' Having said this the monk did not enter the lotus-pool ; but standing on the bank of it he raised his voice : "Fly