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PART IV STORIES DURING BHAGAWÄN MAHÄVIR
24-Aimuttä Muni
Once upon a time in the streets of Polaspur, India, a six-year-old child named Aimuttä was playing with his friends. He was the son of King Vijay and Queen Shrimati. While playing, he saw a monk. The monk's name was Gautam swämi, the chief disciple of Lord Mahävir. He was barefoot and bald. He was going from one house to another to get alms (food). Aimuttä ran to him and invited him to his palace to get food, saying this would make his mother and him very happy. Gautam swämi agreed, and they went to the palace. Aimuttä's mother, Queen Shrimati, was standing on the balcony overlooking the garden. She saw Gautam swämi and Aimuttä coming towards the palace. She was very happy and came down to receive Gautam swämi. She welcomed him with devotion and said, "Matthaena Vandämi (my salutation to you)." She asked Aimuttä to go and get his favorite food to offer Gautam swämi. Aimuttä brought lädoos (sweets) and started putting them in the container even though Gautam swämi said he didn't need that many. Aimuttä was very happy to be offering food to the monk.
As Gautam swämi started to leave, Aimuttä said, "Your bag is heavy. Please let me carry it for you."
Gautam swämi said, "Aimuttä, I cannot give it to you because it can only be carried by those who have taken dikshä and have become a monk."
Aimuttä asked, "What is dikshä?"
Gautam swämi explained to him that when someone takes a vow of dikshä, he renounces his worldly life, his house, his family, and all other social and economic ties. Then he becomes a monk. People take Dikshä to avoid the accumulation of bad karma and to attain liberation. In normal everyday living, people are involved in various activities, which cause them to accumulate karmas. On the other hand, monks and nuns avoid all the activities of householders in order to avoid accumulating these karmas.
Aimuttä became curious and asked, "Gurudev, you do not commit sins! However, don't you need to eat? Don't you need a place to live? All these activities cause sins which acquire bad karmas."
Gautam swämi was pleased with the child's interest to learn more. So he explained, "We take food but we do not accept food which is made especially for us. We stay in a place but we do not own it, and we do not stay there for more than a few days at a time. We do not keep money, and we do not take part in any business or any organization. Thus, as a monk, we do not do any activity that causes sins.
Aimuttä said, "In that case, Gurudev, I want to take dikshä."
Aimuttä and Gautam swämi walked to the place where Lord Mahävir was giving a sermon. Aimuttä joined the others to listen to his teachings. In that sermon, Aimuttä learned what life is all about and what one can do if he or she wants to eliminate worldly suffering. Aimuttä expressed his desire to become a monk to Lord Mahävir. Lord Mahavir said, "We cannot let you take dikshä without your parents' permission." Aimuttä replied, "That is easy. I will go home, get their permission, and come back."
Aimuttä went home. He told his mother, "Mother, I want to take dikshä. Remember you used to say that our household life is full of violence and causes sins? Gautam swämi and Lord Mahävir also said the same. I want to be free of sins. Therefore, please give me permission to take dikshä."
Aimuttä's mother was surprised by his words. She was happy in her mind for his fear of sins and his desire to take dikshä because she was a religious woman. However, she wanted to be sure that Aimuttä understood what "taking dikshä" meant. So she said, "My son, to take dikshä is a very hard and disciplined life. You will not have a mother or a father to take care of you. How will you be able to handle such suffering?"
Aimuttä said, "Mother, this household life also has a lot of suffering. At least we know that as a monk the suffering will help destroy karmas and lead to liberation."
His mother was very happy to hear this. However, she wanted to test Aimuttä's determination further. She said, "Son, why are you in such a hurry? Wait for a while. You need to take care of us when we get old, and you will have your own family too."
94
JAIN STORY BOOK
