Golden Steps To Salvation

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

Page 48

34
ly answered, "Dear Sir! Cows never take a bath but buffaloes welter in water. Of these two types which is better according to you?”
The jealous scholar was put out by this remark. Those who are narrow-minded and jealous are shamed thus.
From the example of Muni Samaya Sundarguni, we learn that a single word may have a number of meanings and that a knowledge of all the meanings leads to a composite and comprehensive meaning of the word. In the same manner sometimes the meaning of many words may be a single one. Until we get a knowledge of that meaning there will be disagreement and dissensions among us.
Some pilgrims sat in the compartment of a passenger train. Among them there arose a discussion about the question which fruit is the best one. The Arab who was one of them said, “I consider anab (grapes) the best among fruits. They are very tasty and sweet." A Turkish gentleman who was there said, “I consider uzam (grapes) the best. As soon as we put it on our tongue we feel delighted.” The Englishman who was among them said, "I have not seen anab or uzam but of the fruits I have tasted and known, grapes are the best." The Indian who was among them said, "I do not know what fruits you consider best but in my view angur (grapes) is the best fruit. It is both sweet and sour and easy to digest.” Meanwhile the train came to a station. All of them bought from a hawker the same fruit. Then they realised that all of them liked the same fruit but called it by different names in different languages.
If we should give a comprehensive and correct answer we should take recourse to Anekantavā da. Lord Mahāvira preached this philosophy far and wide but even before that, intelligent people were using the same theory,
Hanumānji is said to be the best of wise people (Buddhimatām varenya). Once Shree Rama asked him, "Who are you? Kindly tell me about yourself.” Hanumān gave this reply :