Bhagvana Mahavira

Author(s): Tulsi Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 72

64
Bhagavān Mabăvīra
descended from his office in the Secretariat, and bowed to him. Abhayakumāra's colleagues in the cabinet derided him for the reverence shown by him to the wood-cutter. They could not relish the Chief Minister of Magadha empire paying homage to a monk who had till recently been an insignificant wood-cutter. They asked the Chief Minister whether he knew that the monk was a wood-cutter till the other day.
The Chief Minister replied, “How could I not be aware of it? I had attended his initiation."
"Why did you then bow to him ?” was the next question.
The Chief Minister retorted. "Bhagavān Mahāvīra has extolled renunciation of possessions as against possessive
ness."
The colleagues asked, "What was there with the woodcutter to give up ?''
Abhayakumāra did not reply to this question. Next day he wrote a letter to his colleagues saying that if they were ready to lead an absolute celibate life and give up the use of fire, they would be awarded two crores of rupees from the State Exchequer.
Next day his colleagues came to Abhayakumāra and said "We have not been able to understand the conditions attached to the payment of two crores of rupees. One could better enjoy married life only if he possessed two crores of rupees, and you propose to give two crores of rupees for leading a celibate life. What would be the use of the money to us after we had taken to celibacy ? Similarly, one who had left the use of fire for cooking would either have to remain hungry or beg his food. And what would be the use of two crores of rupees to a person who begged his food ? Both the conditions attached to the payment of the amount appeared to be nonsensical."
The Chief Minister asked, "Does not he who renounces these two things renounce possessiveness ? Is he not a sacri