Life and Stories of Jaina Savior Parcvanatha

Author(s): Maurice Bloomfield
Publisher: Maurice Bloomfield

Page 51

Story of the Crāvaka Gandhāra
37
started to climb a rope which he had fastened to a branch of this tree. This rope he had to cut while hanging upon it. But, when he had cut one strand of it, he became afraid of falling into the basin, and came down again to the ground. While gathering courage to try the charm once more, a thief came along with a jewel-casket which he had stolen from the palace of the king. The thief, frightened by the knowledge that he was pursued by the king's men, asked Skandila what he was about. Skandila told him all, and the thief proposed to barter the charm in exchange for the jewel-casket.29 Skandila agreed, and taught the thief the charm. The latter climbed the rope, cut successively its four strands, whereupon the Science 30 named Adhişthāyinī, "Floating,' delighted with his courage, furnished him with a car on which he ascended to heaven (599). In the morning the king's men, shouting on all sides,31 • Catch him, bind him, the thief has been caught with the goods,' ran up to Skandila. Thereupon the thief in the role of a Vidyādhara produced a big stone, and cried out in heaven,
Whosoever shall injure my Teacher Skandila, upon him will I cast this rock.' The bailiffs, frightened, reported the occurrence to the king, who came and asked the thief reverently how Skandila came to be his Teacher. He told the story which they all absorbed in astonishment (570-604).
» The thieves' trick of dropping loot or presenting loot to an innocent person, so as to avert suspicion from one's self, belongs to the refinements of the steyaçāstra: see this text 2. 452 ff., 652 ff.; 8. 124 ff.; Kathās. 10. 167; Dhammapada Commentary 5. 8; 12.5 and 9; Jåtaka 444; Samarādityasaṁksepa 2. 188 ff., 492 ff.; 6. 102, 465 ff.; 8. 518 ff.
For these Sciences,' or vidyās see my paper, On the Art of Entering another's Body,' Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, vol. Ivi (1917), pp. 4 ff.
* Read in 600 vigvagvyähårakå for visvag vyähärakā.