Jain Agam Sahitya

Author(s): K R Chandra
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad

Page 75

V. M. Doshi
In the story of the two turtles and a jackal the first turtle who exposed itself to the danger of the jackal and was killed by it, symbolizes the monks and nuns who expose themselves to the danger of attachment and aversion, raga and dveṣa and suffer miseries in the cycle of rebirths. Another turtle who remained unhurt in the shell and went to its abode in the water, symbolizes the monks and nuns who conceal their sense-organs in the shield of restraint, remain unhurt by attachment and aversion and attain liberation. Allegorically this story brings home to us the efficacy of the five great vows of monks and nuns and the five small vows of laymen and laywomen,
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The story of five rice-grains is an interesting parable spun out and enlarged to form a story.
A rich merchant has four daughters-in-law: Ujjhita (one who throws away). Bhogavati (one who eats), Rakshika (one who preserves) and Rohini (one who grows something). He gives each of them five grains of rice with orders to preserve them. Ujjhita throws the grains away and thinks to herself. "There are plenty of rice-grains in the larder. I shall give him others instead". Bhogavati thinks in the same way and eats the grains. Rakshikā preserves them in her jewel-casket. But Rohini plants the grains and reaps, she again sows the grains and reaps again until at the end of five years she has accumulated a large store of rice. The rich merchant returns from his journey and punishes Ujjhita and Bhogavati by assigning to them the meanest tasks in the household and he entrusts Rakshika with the guarding of the entire property but he gives the entire management of the large household into the hands of Rohini. These four women whose names are also symbolic stand for four types of monks.
Those monks and nuns who do not keep the five great vows degrade themselves and are hated by the Sangha. Those monks and nuns who keep the five great vows only with a view to filling their begging bowl and remain attached to food etc. disqualify themselves from attaining liberation and earn miseries for succeeding births. Those monks and nuns who keep the five great vows carefully live a worthy ascetic life. They are revered and are worshipped by