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in. सचित्र उत्तराध्ययन सूत्र
H614 378
[ 66 ]
The calf was horrified seeing the slaughter of the lamb. Trembling with fear, it slid near its mother and said,"Mother! Today the owner has slaughtered his beloved lamb. Would I face the same fate some day?"
The cow affectionately comforted the calf-"No, son! Why will you be cut to pieces? You eat dry fodder. Those who take bland and ordinary diet, do not suffer such terrible consequences. It is those who eat and enjoy delicious dishes and are obsessed with sensual pleasures, who suffer such terrible consequences. Butcher's knife is for those who are infatuated with sensual pleasures."
Getting this assurance from its mother, the calf became calm.
The message of this parable is to get the aspirant detached from sensual pleasures and mundane indulgence by showing the bitter consequences of the same. Even mere interest in mundane pleasures harms spiritual endeavour.
2. Second Parable-Losing Plenty for Meagre There was a beggar. He went to some other city and with great difficulty accumulated one thousand Kaarshaapanas (silver coins) from his earnings. Taking those coins in a bag he started for his village. For necessary expenses during travel he had kept some Kaakinis (coins of lesser denomination; one Kaarshaapana has eighty Kakinis) in hand. One day he forgot one Kaakini at some place and moved ahead. Going a far, he recalled his forgotten Kaakini. How could he leave his wealth? He was passing through a dense forest. He dug out a hole under a tree and buried his bag of thousand Kaarshaapana, he then returned to collect his lost Kaakini.
A hidden bandit saw him burying the bag. He dug out the bag and eloped.
Damak, the beggar, came back to the place where he had forgotten his one Kaakini, but it had disappeared in the mean time. On returning he found the bag of Kaarshaapanas to be missing.
For a single petty coin he had lost one thousand silver coins. Now he lamented beating his head.
This parable reveals the bitter consequences of excessive greed. This is how a greedy person gets deprived. Those who lose plentiful divine pleasures in order to gain meager mundane pleasures also suffer this way.
3. Third Parable-Taste Buds Take Life. . A king was very fond of eating mangoes. Daily and over-eating of mangoes made him sick. An experienced physician cured him but gave a warning-"Sire ! Mango is prohibited for you. If you eat even a piece of mango, you will lose your life."
