Jain Legend Vol 3

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

Page 192

This way c rya R masena tried to give a turn to the prevailing popular belief and practice of form-worship and suggested formless spiritual meditation / worship.
As per the above cited writings of crya Devasena, alongwith instructing their followers to observe above practice, it also asks its followers and devotees to stay in religious rest homes built by M thura congregation only and totally avoid other places. c rya Devasena also cites the tendency bred in the minds of their followers to consider c rya R masena as supreme only and not anybody else. In 'Dar anas ra’,
c rya Devasena has also written that c rya R masena impressed on his followers to avoid c ryas and monks of other congregations, temples etc and develop a feeling of attachment towards c ryas and monks and laymen of Mthura congregation only. Such mention is found in Darshansar by Acharya Devsen.
A verse in N tis ra mentions that it considers M thura congregation as pseudo Jain congregation only alongwith some of the other congregation.
Ac rya Siddha i pontiff
We have been hearing the popular saying that even neither iron changes to gold when it comes in contact with p rasa-stone; however none of us has seen either p rasa-stone or iron getting converted to gold. However, even a very ordinary person, when in company of holy monks becomes from ordinary to supreme (Jina) person or from a human being to great human being (mah tm ) or from ordinary persons (Nara) to God (N r ya a). Such incidences abound not only in scriptures containing sermons of omniscient lords but holy texts composed by c ryas also.
A great scholar of spirituality, a great poet and a great c rya all in one is Siddha i. His life sketch is a glowing example of the unique and unthinkable miracle of the company of monks and holy people converting a low gambler to Siddha i and his becoming the owner of immortal wealth of the trio of jewels (ratnatray ).
Siddha i was born in the early part of Vikram 8th century in the historical town and capital of Gujarat, rm la (present Bh nam la) in a principled and religious Am tya family. His grandfather Suprabha
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