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Life and Stories of Pārçvanātha
wandered about solitarily thru towns and villages. During these roamings he met a merchant, Sāgaradatta, who asked him where he was going. He replied that he was going to Mount Kāilāsa, to honor the gods. Sāgaradatta asked whether there was any profit in honoring these hand-made gods. Aravinda replied that his gods were the twenty-four Arhats, Rşabha, etc., who had surmounted passion, were omniscient, were honored by Çakra. By their teaching of the Law, they had become the saviors of every being. These Arhats must be worshipped, and alms must be given without doubt or question, as is illustrated by the following parables (670-797):
Two parables Two merchants, Nandaka and Bhadraka, occupied adjoining shops. Bhadraka steadily attended to his business in the morning; Nandaka, on the other hand, went to a temple to worship. Bhadraka became jealous, thinking that Nandaka must be rich to be able to neglect his business. Nandaka, in his turn, thought that Bhadraka, in the absence of competition, would be making hay while the sun shines, that is, that Bhadraka would be doing business while he was spending his time in worshiping the Prince of Jinas. Owing to his evil doubts (kuvikalpa) he lost the fruit of his merit in worshiping the Savior (805).
A rich merchant's son, while sitting in his shop, was accosted by a mendicant Sage who asked for alms. Gladly he poured ghee into his bowl in an unbroken stream (akhandadhārayā). The Sage, out of fear that he would curtail the merit of the merchant which grew as fast as he poured, did not withdraw his bowl. Then the giver became dubious, thinking, · What will the soli
