Jain Journal 1968 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 11

44
satru. Jitasatru was a vassel to the king Paesi. Once Paesi had sent some gifts to his vassal king with his charioteer Citta. When Citta was at Sravasti, Kesikumar, the head of the followers of Parsva, was stationed in a nearby caitya named Kostha in the outskirts of the city. Citta was very much impressed by his religious discourses and invited him to his own city but Kesi declined it on the ground that the king of that city was impious. But still he was ardently insistent on his visit. Accordingly, Kesi reached the Mrgavana-caitya near Seyaviya and on some pretext, Citta took his master, the king, to the monk. The conversation centred round the separateness of the jiva from the mortal body which the king denied but which the monk sought to impress upon him.
JAIN JOURNAL
"My grand father," said the king, "was no better human being than what I am. And as per your prescription, he must be in the hell now. I was his most favourite and it is expected that he should have come to warn me about the evil consequences of my actions. But since he has never visited me, I say, his soul has perished with the body."
"Oh king!" said Kesi, "If a debauch enjoys the company of your wife, what punishment would you give ?"
"Why, I shall place him on a drawn tula or kill him at a stroke."
"But supposing he beseeches of you some time so that he may visit his kins and communicate to them the consequences of his evil deeds, will you grant him his request ?"
"No, by no means, for a criminal is he."
"Well, then, how do you expect that your grand papa who is in hell, would be released to come to earth to communicate the consequences of his evil deeds to you? Hence the body and the soul are two."
In all, the king advanced four arguments which were duly met. Then the king said:
"Bhante! As a man can show an amalaki (emblic myrobalan) by placing it on his palm, can you likewise show the jiva ?"
"Only the Dispassionate knows the eight elements like jivästikāya, not one with limited knowledge."
Thereupon the king became indifferent to the world and leaned on religion, because of which one day he was poisoned by the queen. But he bore the torture of the flesh with calm and equanimity and was born