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VACARICHARGAROXXOOPXOPACACACO COPACIONAIRROXOXUNGE
accord after acquiring knowledge through Jati-smaran-jnana (knowledge of earlier births) or otherwise, and not by listening to preaching. Examples of this are the Pratyek Buddhas (without listening to any discourse who get inspired by some outside factor or incident and get liberated).
Those who have no awareness to the benefit or harm to the self end up in misery due to their ignorance, attachment and dogmas. To explain this are given examples of lake and tree.
(1) Lake-There was a lake densely covered with lotus leaves, water weeds and plankton. Various small and large aquatic animals dwelt in the lake. One day there appeared a small opening in the plant cover and a tortoise came under it. It put out its neck through the gap and had an enchanting view of the sky filled with stars and a glowing full moon. The fascinated tortoise thought—'Let me show this fantastic scene to other members of my family.' It proceeded to call the family. Sometime later it collected a few other tortoises and returned to that area in search of the opening. In such large water
dy the small tortoise found it impossible to find the small opening again.
The message this example conveys is—A human being is like that very tortoise. This world or mundane life is the lake and the ignorance in the form of karmas is the plant cover. Because of the precipitation of meritorious karmas it finds the gap that is samyaktva or ascetic conduct. The attachment with his family inspires him to tell them about his attainment and he returns to the mundane life. He is once again entrapped in fondness and is lost. He fails to get another opportunity due to the intensity of attachment.
(2) The Tree-A tree is unable to move from its place in spite of suffering blows of nature such as cold, heat and rain; and pain when people pluck flowers and fruits. In the same way a man as a householder, in spite of suffering poverty, insult, miseries, disease and various other torments, is unable to renounce a householder's धुत : छठा अध्ययन
( 388 )
Dhut: Sixth Chapter
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