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3) SALUTATIONS TO KHANDHak Mahamuni
Khandhakkumar, the son of l be known as Khandhakmuni. king Jitshatru & queen Dharini, After taking vows, he underwent rejoiced a lot by peeling a several fasts such as Chatha, Kothimda (a kind of vegetable) Attham etc. (i.e. for 2 days 3 days in his previous birth. He bonded
etc.) and weakened his body. himself with karmas & did not confess for the same. After
One day Khandhakmuni being the prince, he heard the
arrived the village of his sister & preachings of Dharmaghosh brother-in-law. His sister saw him muni and realised the from the window of the palace. ephemerality of the world. He She thought that before taking accepted asceticism & came to vows, her brother was healthy
and pink as a rose & now his body was full of wrinkles & black as a coal due to penance! She was overwhelmed by emotions and recalling the past, tears rolled down her eyes. The king saw her crying looking at the sage and thought that the sage must be her paramour (illict Lover) in the past and therefore she was crying as she could not enjoy his company.
Khandhakmuni's body became so very pale & weak due to penance that the king couldn't recognize him & ordered his executioners, “Peel off the skin of that sage without killing him.” The executioner went to the sage & told, “It is an order of our master to peel your skin.” Instead of getting angry, the sage thought that the body & soul are distinct from each other. They would peel the skin from his body & due to that, his soul would get rid of karmas. Taking this to be an opportunity to get rid of the sins, he told the executioners, “Due to fasting & penance my skin has become rough & full of wrinkles hence, you guide me how to stand so that you can accomplish your task without much effort." What a great thought! Instead of worrying about
Confession: The Path to Self-liberation...117
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