Abhaykumar and Thief Rohineya

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Page 4

ABHAYKUMAR AND THIEF ROHINEYA
sure that all preparations pertaining to his arrival have been completed before you start your concert, and let me also get some information from him that the heavenly realm needs to know.' As he was saying this, he came to Rohineya. Opening his book, he asked Rohineya to narrate his deeds from his previous life prior to enjoying the amenities of heaven.
Meanwhile, Rohineya was looking around. He remembered what he had heard from Lord Mahävir's sermon about heavenly beings, when he stepped on the thorn. He observed the movements of heavenly beings in front of him. He noticed that their feet were touching the ground, their bodies had shadows, and their eyes were blinking like human beings. He immediately figured out that this heaven was not real and was only an illusion created by Abhaykumar to gain evidence of his burglaries.
He therefore replied that in the previous life he had given donations to worthy causes, had constructed temples, had been on pilgrimages to holy places and had rendered service to deserving people. The person took note of his statement and asked him to narrate any wrong deeds that he might have indulged in. Rohineya said that he had scrupulously avoided misdeeds and therefore he was born in heaven. Abhaykumär's plan did not work and Rohineya was set free as being the innocent farmer that he pretended to be.
Rohineya was released, but he constantly thought about what had happened. He realized that what he had accidentally heard from Lord Mahävir had saved his life. Then how could his father be right in the advice that he had given? Lord Mahävir must be a very great entity. 'If those words which were accidentally heard were so helpful, imagine how helpful his teachings would be? he asked himself. Had he wasted his years avoiding the sermons of the Lord? After pondering at length, he decided to go to Lord Mahävir and to serve at his feet. He went to the assembly and humbly requested the Lord to accept him as his disciple. He also requested to become a monk. Mahävir asked him to disclose his real identity and confess all his past sins to the king before renouncing his worldly life.
He then disclosed his real identity to the king who was present in the assembly and was ready to accept any punishment. He also requested Abhaykumär to accept all the treasures he had collected during his burglaries.
Since Rohineya had voluntarily confessed and had willingly returned everything that he had taken, the king decided to pardon him and permitted him to become a monk. Rohineya deeply repented for what he had done in his life. He started observing severe austerities in order to erase the Karmas acquired by his misdeeds. In his old age, with permission from Lord Mahävir, he adopted Sanlekhana (avoiding food and staying in meditation until death). After his death he was born in heaven.
JAIN STORY Book For Private & Personal use only
113 ainelissy.com
Jain Education inte national
w