Lecture On Jainism

Author(s): Lala Banarasidas
Publisher: Anuvrat Samiti

Page 79

( 71 ) that day cone that I shall be able to shake off the karmans by being alonc, by giving up hypocricy, by being calm, by using my hands as a vessel, and by being Digambara?" Nakedness is no nakedness to those who have forgot to be naked. We also read that in a certain pool of water some ladies were bathing naked. Shukacharya passed by and they did not hide their nakedness. When Vyasa passed by they at once hid their nakedness. Why was this, enquired V'yasa of the ladies ? Because Vyasa saw and knew nakedness, while Shuka did not, was the reply, because Vyasa's eyes fell on their nukelness, but Shuka's didnot, and because Vyasa was observing things around him, while Shuka did not. Il'e also read that when Hanuman went to Lanka as a spy, he saw at night some ladies sleeeping naked in the palace of Ravana. He had incurred a great sin, thought he. But no, he was innocent, again thought he, because he was pure, and nakedness and nakedlessness were identical to him.
Peculiar are those men whose eyes fall on the nakedness of the monks, and who find fault with them for not wearing clothes and for not having the same knowledge of good and evil as they do. Our eyes should fall on the qualities of the monks. What have we to do with their nakedness? Do you know, gentlemen, the reply the Prime-minister of Raja Ranjita Singh made to a man who had asked him if the Raja was a one-eyed man. He replied he did not know. Why not, asked the other ? The minister replied, “Who dare look at the face of the Raja? All eyes fall on his feet.