Jain Digest 2007 04

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 21

Jain Digest. Summer 2007
EDUCATION
Gautam, you stand in the midst of many thousand (foes) who reply: "The heterodox and the heretics have all chosen a wrong make an attack on you; how have you vanquished them? path; the right path is that taught by the Jinas; it is the most
excellent path”. "By vanquishing one, five are vanquished; by vanquishing five, ten are vanquished; by this tenfold victory, I vanquish all foes". Is there shelter, a refuge, a firm ground for the beings carried Kesi said to Gautam: "Whom do you call a foc?" "To these away by the great flood of water? Do you know the island, O words of Kesi, Gautam made the following reply: "Self is the Gautam?" "There is a large, great island in the midst of water, one invincible foe, (together with the four) cardinal passions which is not inundated by the great flood of water". Kesi said (anger, pride, deceit, and greed), and five senses make ten. to Gautam, "What do you call this island? To these words of These (foes), O Great sage, I have regularly vanquished. "Well, Kesi, Gautam made the following reply: "The flood is old age Gautam, you possess wisdom, you have destroyed my doubt; and death, which carry away living beings; Law is the island, but I have another doubt which you must explain to me. "We the firm ground, the refuge, the most excellent shelter". see many beings in this world who are bound by fetters; how "On the ocean with its many currents there drifts a boat; how have you gotten rid of your fetters and are set free, O sage will you, Gautam, on board of it reach the opposite shore?". "Having cut off all fetters, and having destroyed them by the "A boat that leaks will not reach the opposite shore; but a boat right means, I have got rid of my fetters am set free, I sage". Kesi that does not leak, will reach it". Kesi said to Gautam, "What said to Gautam: "What do you call fetters?". To these words do you call this boat?" To these words of Kesi, Gautam made Kesi, Gautam made the following reply: "Love, hatred, etc are the following reply: "The body is the boat, life is the sailor, heavy fetters, attachment is a dangerous one; having regularly and the Circle of Births is the ocean which is crossed by the destroyed them, I live up to the rules of conduct.
great sages". O, Gautam, in the innermost heart there grows a plant which "In this dreadfully dark gloom there live many beings, who brings forth poisonous fruit; how have you torn it out?". "I will bring light into the whole world of living beings?". "The have thoroughly clipped that plant, and torn it out altogether spotless sun has risen which illuminates the whole world; he with its roots; thus 1 have got rid of the poisonous fruit. Kesi
will bring light into the whole world of living beings". Kesi said said to Gautam, "What do you call that plan?" To these words to Gautam, 'What do you call this sun? these words of Kesi, of Kesi, Gautam made the following reply: "Love of existence Gautam made the following reply: "Risen has he who put an is that dreadful plant which brings forth dreadful fruit; having end to the Circle of Births, the omniscient Jina, the luminary, regularly torn it out, I live pleasantly."
who brings light into the world of living beings". Gautam, there is a blazing up a frightful fire which burns the Do you. I sage, know a safe, happy, and quiet place for living embodied beings: how have you put it out?" "Taking water, beings which suffer from pains of body and mind?". "There excellent water, from the river) produced by the great cloud, is a safe place in view of all, but difficult of approach, where I always pour it over my body; this sprinkled the fire does not there is no old age nor death, no pain nor disease.". Kesi said burn me". Kesi said to Gautam, "What do you call the fire?" Toto Gautam. "What is this place called? To these words of Kesi, these words of Kesi, Gautam made the following reply: "The Gautam made the following reply: It is what is called Nirvana, passions are the fire; knowledge, a virtuous life, and penances are or freedom from pain, or perfection, which is in view of all; it the water: sprinkled with the drops of knowledge the fire of the is the safe, happy, and quiet place which the great sages reach. passions is extinguished and does not burn me. "Well, Gautam, That is the eternal place, in view of all, but difficult to approach. you possess wisdom, you have destroyed my doubt; but I have Those sages who reach it are free from sorrows. They ha another doubt which you must explain to me. “The unruly, an end to the stream of existence" dreadful, bad horse on which you sit, runs about, Gautam! How
"Well, Gautam, you possess wisdom, you have destroyed my comes it to pass that it does not run off with you?" "I govern it well in its course by the bridle of knowledge: it does not go
doubt; obeisance to you, who are not troubled by doubts, who astray with me, it keeps to the right path". Kesi said to Gautam, are the ocean, as it were, of all Sutras "What do you call this horse?" To these words of Kesi, Gautam After his doubt had been solved, Kesi, of enormous sanctity, made the following reply: "The mind is that unruly, dreadful, bowed his head to the famous Gautam. And, in the pleasant bad horse; I govern it by the discipline of the Law (so that it "linduka park he sincerely adopted the Law of the five vows, becomes a well-) trained Kamboga-steed".
which was proclaimed by the first Thirthankar, according to the "There are many bad roads in this world, which lead men teaching of the last Thirthankar. In that meeting of Kesi and astray; how do you avoid, Gautam, going astray as you are on
Gautam, knowledge and virtuous conduct were ever brought to the road?" "They all are known to me, those are in the right eminen
se are in the right eminence, and subjects of the greatest importance were settled. path and those who have chosen a wrong path; therefore I do The whole assembly was greatly pleased and fixed their thoughts not go astray, I sage!" Kesi said to Gautam, "What do you call on the right way. They praised Kesi and Gautama: "May the the path?" To these words of Kesi, Gautam made the following venerable ones show us favor! Thus I say.
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