Book Title: Agama And Tripitaka Comparative Study
Author(s): Nagaraj Muni
Publisher: Today and Tomorrows Printers and Publishers

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Page 454
________________ 414 married in a home which was not a Buddhist, the total amount spent by her for the order of the Buddha has no parallel(28). Starting from Vārānasi, the Buddha came to Srāvasti. He stayed at Jetayana. Visakhā came to pay her homage and obeisance. The Buddha delighted her and inspired her with his profound sermon. For the following day, Vis äkhā invited the Buddha and his monks to receive food from her. With his silence, the Buddha signified assent. As the day dawned, there was a heavy downpour as if the clouds from the four isles (continents) had come together to crack down, The Buddha said to his monks, "Like the heavy shower at this Jetayana, there is a severe downpour all over the four isles. These are the last great clouds of the season over the four isles. So you take your bath in the rain water". The monks obeyed. They removed their clothes and started taking bath, Meanwhile, Visakhā sent a maid to the vihara with the word that the food was ready. When the maid came, she saw the naked monks taking their bath in the rainwater. At once, she felt embarassed and turned her steps back. She reported to Visakh "Madam! They do not look like the Buddhist monks. They are all Ajivakas. They are taking their bath naked in the rain water". Visakhā was very intelligent. She read through the whole situation at once. She asked the maid to go again. The maid came back to the monks' abode. By that time, the monks had finished their bath, dried their bodies, put on their clothes and gone back to their respective rooms. So she did not see any monk. She came back again and reported to her mistress that the monks were not there. Visakhă understood the position again and asked her to go back and try again in their rooms. At the appropriate time for dinner, the Buddha asked the monks to get ready to go, which they did. Like a man who can spread his arm and withdraw it at ease without any special effort, so the Buddha disappeared from Jetavana without any effort and appeared at the house of Visā

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