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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
187
Chilatiputra marched further in the forest, thick, densely grown with trees and occasional yellings of wild animals. He was not at all nervous. A man who lives a forester's life practising atrocious deeds would hardly get nervous by such yellings and screamings of wild animals.
But now he was overpowered with exhaustion thirst and hunger. The cause of fear which followed him was also by now vanished so he was bit calmed down. He started hunting for some roots or bulbs to satisfy his hunger. In the meanwhile he spied a monk meditating under a tree.
Chilatiputra knew well that such monks and saintly persons speak of religion whereby people are benefited. So he approached the monk and said, “Oh monk ! you explain to me what is religion in brief, if you do not do so you will be rendered to the plight of Sushuma".
Saintly great men do not fear such threats. If they fear how would they meditate and practise penances in such dreadful forests? Moreover they mainly aim to conquer every kind of fear and therefore they would not stoop to such threats. Still however their hearts are full of feelings of benevolence and they would certainly explain the nature of religion if one is benefited thereby. This monk had attained high spiritual calibre and had acquired lore named “Charana". With the help of this lore he could fly in the sky. He spoke to Chilatiputra that pacification (Upashama), discrimination (Viveka) and restraint (Samvara) are the causes of human welfare or bliss. With these words the monk flew away in the sky.
Chilatiputra began musing, “What do these words mean?" He spent his life in sinful and atrocious acts, he never contracted any company with a saintly person, so how could he grasp the meaning of these words ? But he was sure at least that the speaker was a great man possessed of mysterious powers and the words of such a person could be very significant. So he commenced pondering over the meaning of these words.
Knowledge dose not flow in from without but it is revealed unto one's ownself. Deep thinking and meditation become very essential so in no time Chilatiputra realized the meaning of Upashama. He knew that one should abandon anger and should remain unperturb
