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Personality of Lord Mahâvîra and his Sermon at Champa
91
In that period at that time, in the month of Jaistha during summer, seven hundred desciples of Ambada started from Kampilyapura to reach Purimatala walking on both the banks of the Ganga.
Then the said Parivrajakas reached a certain part of a long forest, which had no village and where neither roving merchants nor wandering cattle halted to take rest. Being taken again and again at the outset, the water supply was exhausted.
Their water supply being exhausted, and their being none within visibility who could replenish their supply, they called one another and spoke as follows : "Oh beloved of the gods! We have reached a certain part of this forest which has no village nor any halting station for roving merchants or wandering cattle, our water supply is exhausted. So, oh beloved of the gods! It is advisable that we in this village-less forest launch a search for some donor who may offer us water.” Thus they heard from one another the same words repeated, and having heard, they launched a search for a donor of water in that village-less forest
When they did not find anyone who could replenish their water supply, again they started talking among themselves which was as follows: "Oh beloved of the gods! There is no one here who could give us water. Our code does not permit us to accept water which is not offered not to use such water. Under these circumstances, even in this difficult time, let us not accept water, let us not use water. Then our vow will remain untransgressed. Oh beloved of the gods! It is advisable, therfore, that we discard at some lonely place our triple staff, water pot, rudraksa garland, earthen bowls, wooden seat, sannalaka, angle to pull down leaves to worship with, duster, copper ring, bangle, umbrella, sandals and our saffron cloth, cross through the Ganga or enter into the river, make use of sand as our bed, reduce our consciousness of body and other objects, give up our food and drink and stay with a tranquil mind, tree-like, devoid of movement, not desiring for death."
By the words of the mouth, this decision reached everybody. Having heard this, they discarded the triple staff, etc. Having done so, they entered into the great river Ganga. They prepared their bed out of sand. They sat on it. They sat in the padmasana posture with their faces turned towards the east and submitted as follows
