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NandiSootra
selling activity was not disturbed. They sold all their produce in time to return home safe before sunset.
In the smile way a listener who, when committing a mistake, at once begs. pardon of his guru and colleagues and proceeds to rectify the mistake and resume acquiring knowledge, successfully absorbs knowledge and progresses in the direction of his goal. Such listeners are worthy.
THREE TYPES OF CONGREGATION
A group of listeners assembled to listen to a religious discourse is called a congregation about this it is mentioned that
[047] MEANING. In brief it has been said to be of three types Inaytka, Ajnayika and Durvidagdha.
[048] MEANING Jnayika
Know this, that a Jnayika Parisliad (a congergation of sagacious listeners) is where listeners are virtuous as well as appreciaters of virtues; and they reject vices and accept virtues just as a swan rejects water and accepts milk.
COMMENTARY The qualities of a Jnayzka Parishad have been explained with the help of the example of a swan. Where the lot of listeners is so knowledgeable and rational that it can discriminate between virtues and vices and consequently reject vices and accept virtues alone is known as Jnayika Parishad.
[049] MEANING -Ajnayika -
[050] MEANING -Ajnayika Parishad (a congregation of ignorant listeners) is where listeners are immature and puerile like the young of deer, lion and hen and uncut and unpolished like rough gem stones direct from a mine.
COMMENTARY The naive and impressionable listeners as well as those who are rustic but simple can be turned in any desired direction and made cultured. Their being rustic or uncultured means they are devoid of vices and virtues both. As a rough gem stone excavated from a mine is turned into a shining attractive gem after cutting and polishing, a naive but simple listener can be educated and steered toward the path of knowledge.
[051]MEANING -Durvidagdha
[052]MEANING That congregation is known as a Durvidagdha Parishad where the listeners are like a village pundit who is not a complete scholar of any subject, avoids learning from some one for the fear of criticism, and always remains inflated like a balloon with false pride.
COMMENTARY -Vidagdha means a scholar, a learned person. Durvidagdha is he who considers himself a scholar in spite of not being so. Shallow brooks are noisy. Such individuals with bloated ego, apprehensive of their ignorance being revealed, become caches of numerous other vices and block their own progress. They are unworthy of getting scriptural knowledge.
Of these three congregations, first is the best, second is medium and third is the worst.
*THE DISCUSSION ABOUT KNOWLEDGE*
[053] MEANING Jnana or knowledge is said to be of five types-1. Abhinibodhik-jnana, 2.Shrut-jnana, 3.Avadhi-jnana, 4.Manahparyav-jnana and 5.Kewal-jnana.
COMMENTARY -Although the author has already written the PRAISE of Tirthankars, Ganadhars and era-leaders in the beginning, this verse is also Aagam- 44 -NandiSootra
Compiled by- Deepratnasagar
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