Book Title: Life and Stories of Jaina Savior Parcvanatha
Author(s): Maurice Bloomfield
Publisher: Maurice Bloomfield

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Page 180
________________ 166 Life and Stories of Pārçvanātha devotion to the lighter vows (aņuvrata) on the part of a house-holder (gphin) who has first devoted himself to a life of the senses.44 Hitajña, whose folly induced him to collect glass and other baubles, by the goodness (bhadratvena) of his soul becomes altogether devoted to religion.45 Mūdha, who is deceived by rogues, so as to collect shells and other trash, represents the choice of irreligion on the part of one who sees falsely thru the prompting of unlawful impulses. That Cāru induced Yogya and Hitajña to go to their homes, represents their enlightenment by an ascetic who is on the eve of salvation (yater āsannamokşasya); that they, thru respect for Cãru, regained their wealth, represents submission to the true religion on the part of the çrāddha and the bhadraka. That Mūdha, tho instructed by Cāru, did not go to his home, represents the disregard of salvation on the part of the worthless, even when taught by the teacher (823). The three first (yati, çrāddha, and bhadraka) attain salvation; the fourth (mithyādrsti), like Mūdha, remains in the ocean of samsāra. The wise man who remembers this essential instruction must strive, even tho it be late, to attain salvation (782-825). Frame Story: Life of Pārçvanātha, continued After the Gaṇabhịt (Āryadatta) had finished his sermon, all the people paid reverence to Lord Pārçva, and then dispersed to their various homes. A black, fourarmed Yakşa, Pārçva by name, who was born at that tirtha,46 who carried as an umbrella the hood of a cobra, who had the face of an elefant, who had a tortoise for a a Such a one is called craddha, Faithful,' above. That is, his devotion to religion, after error, constitutes him bhadraka. # The connection does not make it clear which holy place is meant.

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