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PART IV STORIES DURING BHAGAWAN MAHÄVIR
26- Puniä Shrävak
Puniä Shrävak and his wife were poor villagers by their own choice. They lived in a small hut made of mud and grass. Puniä had taken a vow not to earn more than the minimum needed to survive, which at that time was 12 dokadäs (1/12 of a rupee) a day, which he earned by spinning and selling cotton yarn. He had also taken another vow to offer food to virtuous people daily. As they could not afford to have more food to satisfy this vow, he would fast one day and his wife would fast the next day. In spite of being so poor, they always offered their hospitality to fellow beings. In this way, the couple helped deserving people every day.
100
pal-o
King Shrenik's wealth is insignificant compared to the sämäyik punya of Puniä Shrävak
Puniä Shrävak did sämäyik (48 minutes of meditation and equanimity) daily. Once during sämäyik he could not meditate properly. He wondered what he had done that was disturbing his meditation but could not think of a reason. Therefore, he asked his wife, "What have we done different today that I cannot meditate properly?" At first his wife could not think of anything either. But as she continued thinking, she remembered that while returning from the market, she had picked up dry cow manure from the street and used that as cooking fire. She told Puniä about this. He told her that they should not take anything from anywhere unless it is bought from their own daily earnings.
JAIN STORY BOOK
