Jain Journal 1971 04

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

Page 72

176
JAIN JOURNAL
Therefore, that Miyadevi began to rear up that boy in a secret subterranean house, by means of food prepared secretly.
There lived in the city of Miyagama a man who was blind by birth and who was led by a man possessed of sight. He used to earn his livlihood by means of begging. ...
At that time and at that period, the Samana, the blessed Mahavira arrived on a visit and a company of people went out to hear him. ..
Then that man who was blind by birth having heard the noise of the people spoke to that man possessd of sight : “O you, Beloved of of the gods, is there today a festival in the city of Miyagrama in honour of Indra ?”
Then that man spoke : "O Beloved of the gods, there is no festival in honour of Indra in the city. But verily, the Samana, the blessed Mahavira, is staying here on a visit and therefore a company of people is going to hear him.” ..
Then that man who was blind spoke thus: “O you, Beloved of the gods, let us also go. We shall also go and wait on him.” ...
Then that man who was blind by birth being led infront by means of a stick proceeded to the place where the Samana, the blessed Mahavira, was staying. Having gone there he solemnly circumambulated him three times from the left to the right, and having done so, he saluted him and bowed down to him and stood waiting on him.
At that time and at that priod, the eldest disciple of the Samana named Indrabhuti, a houseless monk, was staying there. Then that Venerable Goyama saw that man who was blind by birth, and having done so he spoke thus to the Samana, the blessed Mahavira : O Reverend Sir, is there any other man in (Miyagama) who is blind by birth and ugly by birth ... ?"
The Samana replied : “Yes there is.”
Goyama asked : “O Reverend Sir, who he is ?”
The Samana replied : “(He is) the son of the Ksatriya king Vijaya by Miyadevi. ..."