Jain Legend Vol 1

Author(s): Hastimal Maharaj, Shuganchand Jain, P S Surana
Publisher: Hastimal Maharaj Shugan C Jain P S Surana

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these attainments are transient, destructible and worldly but the Lord's pure knowledge is the outcome of dharma and is permanent. Hence devotion to and worship at the feet of the Lord is important first because pure knowledge is the original and greatest merits among all the kaly akas. Thinking thus, cakravart Bharata left to perform worship at the feet of the Lord.
First instructions/sermon and establishing of the T rtha
The place where the Lord gave the first instructions / sermon after obtaining the light of knowledge via pure knowledge in the presence of people, gods-goddesses, community of revered ones, is called samava ara a. c ryas interpret samava ara a as a congregation of monks (male-female), Samgha (the order), etc or an assembly of discourse. The gathering at the t rthamkara's sermon is also called samava ara a.
Even if Lord V abhan tha could have attained liberation following attainment of pure knowledgebecoming v tar ga (devoid of passion / attachment) in solitary meditation, yet he gave the sermon. The foremost reason for this being that the T rthamkara n ma-karma is not fulfilled unless the dharma t rtha (creed or holy path) is not established. Secondly, as is mentioned in the Pra navy kara a S tra the Lord gave his sermon to safeguard, and out of compassion for, all living beings. Hence Lord V abhan tha is considered the first preacher in the scriptures and the preceptor of the ten-fold dharmain Vedic literature.
The day of the first sermon of Lord V abhan tha was the eleventh day of the dark fortnight of the F lguna month. On that day, expounding the scriptural ( ruta) and caritra (conduct) dharma (scripture and conductrelated), he preached not to eat after dark, ahims (non-killing), truthfulness, non-stealing, brahmacarya (chastity) and non-possession. The Lord explained that the objective of human life is not enjoyment but yoga (contemplation / discipline); not attachment but non-attachment; not lust but realisation, not the killing of instincts but quelling of these through knowledge
Hearing the Lord's speech, full of thoughts of sacrifice and detachment, which was like a shower of ambrosia the emperor Bharata's 500 sons including V abhasena and 700 grandsons took initiation in the order of
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