Agam 21 Upang 10 Pushpika Sutra English Translation

Author(s): Dipratnasagar, Deepratnasagar
Publisher: Deepratnasagar

Page 15

Pushpika -Upang-10- Chapter-3
At dawn bark-garment clad Somil took his baskets and pole as well as other possessions, covered his mouth with the wooden strip and moved towards north.
On the fourth day while walking Somil Brahmarshi arrived near a banyan tree in the afternoon (third quarter of the day). He placed his basket and pole under that banyan tree. Then he made a clean platform and plastered it with cow-dung and clay.... and so on up to... he covered his mouth with a strip of wood, took the vow of silence and sat down. Then at midnight the same god appeared once again before Somil and, as earlier, said to him"O Somil Brahmin ! The praxis you have accepted is a bad praxis." But Somil remained silent and the god left.
At dawn when the sun became bright, bark-garment clad Somil took his baskets and pole as well as other possessions, covered his mouth with the wooden strip and moved towards north.
On the fifth day of his great journey, Somil Brahmarshi arrived near an Udumbar (Gular; the wild fig: Ficus glomerata) tree in the afternoon (third quarter of the day). He placed his basket and pole under that wild big tree. Now he made a clean platform... and so on up to... he covered his mouth with a strip of wood, took the vow of silence and sat down.
Then, at midnight the same god appeared once again before Somil and, as earlier, said to him-"0 Somil ! The praxis you have accepted is a bad praxis." But Somil remained silent. The god uttered these words a second and a third time also-"0 Somil ! The praxis you have accepted is a bad praxis." On this second and third utterance Somil asked the god-"Beloved of gods! Why my praxis is bad praxis?"
The god replied to Somil Brahmin-"Beloved of gods! Earlier you had accepted the twelve-fold Shravak dharma' (code of laity) inclusive of five anuvrats (minor vows) and seven shikshavrats (instructive or Complimentary vows of spiritual discipline). (Deprived of opportunities to behold ascetics and to listen to their discourses, you succumbed to falsehood and abandoned the accepted Shravak dharma). Later, one midnight, while pondering over your family circumstances (you thought of getting made and carrying iron pans and spoons and copper utensils, going to hermits on the banks of the Ganges, and getting initiated as Dishaprokshik hermit) and so on." The god narrated all what Somil had thought earlier and added "Then you got initiated as Dishaprokshik hermit and in due course took a vow and. following it you came to an Ashoka tree placed your baskets and pole under it and made a clean platform, took a bath in the Ganges, offered sacrifice in fire, covered your mouth with a strip of wood, took the vow of silence and sat down. Then at midnight I appeared before you and advised-0 Somil ! The praxis you have accepted is a bad praxis.' But you did not pay any heed and remained silent. In the same way I offered you advise for four days but you never paid any attention to what I said. Then today, the fifth day, you arrived near an Udumbar tree in the afternoon and placed your basket and pole under the tree. You cleaned the spot for sitting and plastered it. After offerings in fire you covered your mouth with a strip of wood, took the vow of silence and sat down. Therefore, 0 Beloved of gods! The praxis you have accepted is a bad praxis."
On hearing these words from the god Somil Brahmarshi said "0 Beloved of gods! Please tell me how my bad praxis can become a good praxis ?"
The god replied to Somil Brahmin-"Beloved of gods! If you, on your own, once again accept the Shravak dharma (code of laity) inclusive of five anuvrats (minor vows)
Aagam - 21 - Pushpika
Compiled by - Deepratnasagar
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