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JAINA STORIES
When the demon came back and saw the lion, he did not disturb him but lay outside in the cold At dead of night, when the lion woke up and came out, he saw the demon and devoured him,"
The monk was very much perturbed at the merchant'sinsistence Said he,
"I have had no intention to harm you in any way, my dear merchant But you are adamant, So now I have no other alternative but to extend and expose both my hands, as was done by merchant Katha'
"Who was merchant Katha ?"
"Katha was a pious, kind-hearted sravaka who lived in Rajagriha during the reign of Srenika He erected a huge mansion for his residence which took six months to be completed. Then, on an auspicious day, before he made a formal entry into the building, learned priests were invited and dieties were duly propitiated, But as the merchant was about to step in, there were some inauspicious omens, and the priests advised him not to enter at that moment A new time was fixed for his entry, and this time there were very good and exceptionally favourable omens and the merchant started residing in that building
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"One day, the merchant's wife, Bhadra, saw a ship floating on the sea in her dream When she spoke to her husband about it, said he, 'It's a very good dream We will soon have a boy' The foresast came true and the boy was named Sagardatta. When he was eight, he was sent to school,and on the occasion, many scholars were invited and fed There were two monks in the assembly of guests As they sat to dine, a cock seated on the wall said to the merchant, 'If you feed me, I shall make your son a king' One of the monks nodded at this When the other asked him about the cause of his nod, he said. 'It is due to thiscock that the boy will get a kingdom' This conversation fell.
