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JAINA STORIES
have passed through this infernal life, you will become the first tirthankara named Padmanabha in the next up-phase of -the time-cycle'
"Srenika was indeed hapy to know of his remote future, but this did not minimise his pain about the near future So he said,
Bhante Is it not possible to avert it by any chance ? “ 'No, it can't be so It is already fised with thy fate. But there may be one chance of escape provided your maid named Kapıla makes one devoted offer of food to a worthy monk, or provided the butcher named Kalasaukarıka dedists from slaughter for a day, or provided the merchant named Punyaka, who practises samayıka very regularly, gives you the pious result of one samayıka'.
"This held some hope for the king, who felt that these may not be very difficult to fulfil He took leave of the Lord and was on his way back to the palace, when the same celestial being, Durduranaka, preceded him to take further tests of the king He appeared as a heretical monk, who was plucking fruits from a tres on the bank of a tank, and collecting them at the corner of his robe Srenika came to the monk, took him aside and advised him to desist from deeds which were unbecoming of a monk.
"Hardly did tõe king go a few steps when he saw a nun of the order of the Jina who appeared to be pregnant She had decorated her eye lashes witā black pasta, had her hairs
finely arranged in a braid which was attractively dangling -on her back with two sons playing at her side, she was washing her hands and fest in the tank This was a great shock for the king, who could not think of such a vehaviour for a nun. So, in a very polita way, he pointed out to her the lapse, which would not only bring down her own soul, but would be a bad example for the whole order, · But the
