Jain Journal 1973 04

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

Page 64

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JAIN JOURNAL
Henceforth always practising dharma, meditating on the seven Principles, preserving right-belief, noble-minded, he passed the time. 3-23
At the end he performed the rite of propitiation (ārādhanā), recalled the formula of homage to the Five and after death became a god in Saudharma for the duration of a palyopama. 24
Now, in this same Bharata there is a very fair city, named Vinita, built in the past by the Indras for Yugadinatha (Risabha). Bharata the son of holy Risabha Svamin, was Cakravarti there, lord of nine treasures, lord of fourteen jewels. The soul of the village-overseer fell and became his son, who shed rays of light and so was called 'Marici'. As a member of the warrior-caste, Marici went with his father, brothers, and others to the first samavasarana of Risabha Svamin. After he had seen the honor paid to the Lord by the gods and had listened dharma, his mind was captured by right-belief, and he took the vow. Knowing well the duties of ascetics, indifferent even to his own body, possessing the three controls, observing the five kinds of carefulness, free from passions, keping the five great vows, studying the eleven Angas under the elders, Marici wandered as a mendicant with Risabha Svamin for a long time.
One day, when he was on the road, (walking) in a layer of dust that burned the nails on travellers' feet and was harsh from the rays of the sun in the hot season, both of his garments smeared with dirt from his body wet with perspiration, suffering from thirst as a result of the maturing of good-conduct-obscuring karma, he reflected :
'Henceforth I, devoid of merit, desiring birth, am not able to bear the attributes of mendicancy which are burdens equal to Meru, hard to bear. Shall I abandon the vow ? I would certainly be disgraced before the world, if I abandon it. Rather I shall take this means to keep the vow from being a burden. These blessed ascetics' are always free from the three hurtful acts (tridanda). The triple staff (tridandin) shall be a token of me who have been subdued by the hurtful acts. These are bald from pulling out their hair, but I shall have a tuft of hair (sikhin), bald by means of a razor. These observe the great vows ; I shall observe the lesser vows. These munis have no possessions : I shall have a ring, et cetera. They are free from delusion ; I, covered with delusion, shall have an umbrella. These sages walk without shoes ; I shall have shoes as a means of protection for my feet. They have a good odor from their conduct ; I have an evil odor from my conduct. To obtain a good odor, I shall have a tilaka, et cetera of sandal. These sages, free from