Lord Mahavira

Author(s): Boolchand
Publisher: Jain Cultural Research Society

Page 42

( 35 ) he exposed himself to the heat. He would meditate with his eyes fixed on a square space before him of the length of a man or in some other posture without the smallest motion. While meditating he would concentrate on the things above, below, or beside. He meditated free from sin and desire, not attached to sounds or colours, and never acted carelessly. Being averse from the impressions of the senses, he spoke very little and was always calm
"Thoroughly knowing the earth-bodies and water bodies and fire-bodies and wind-bodies, the lichens, seeds and sprouts' and comprehending that they are, if narrowly inspected, imbued with life', he avoided all kinds of sin and abstained from all sinful activity. He did not use what had expressly been prepared for him. He did not use another's robe, nor did he eat out of another's vessel. He did not rub his eyes or scratch his body. Knowing measure in eating and drinking, he was not desirous of delicious food, nor had he a longing for it. For more than a couple of years he led a religious life without using cold water. He completely abstained from indulgence of the flesh; whether wounded or not, he took no medical treatment. He lived on rough food-rice, pounded jujube and beans. Sometimes he ate stale food. He accepted moist or dry or cold food, old beans, old pap, or bad grain, whatever was avai able. But where there were hungry crows or thirsty beings or other beggars standing in his way, he would go past that place without begging alms. He kept fasts ; sometimes he ate only the sixth meal, or the eighth, or the tenth, or the twelfth ; sometimes he did not drink for half a month or even for a month or for more than two months or even six months.
In accordance with the rules o? the order he wanderred about unceasingly, except for the four months of the rainy season. During the res of the year, he lived in villages only a single night and in towns only five nights. He was indifferent alike to the smell of
ordure and the sweet scent of sandal, to straw and jewel, Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat