________________
Life of Lord Mahâvîra
33
alighted from his palanquin of state, and stripped himself of all his garlands, jewels, and ornaments; he then performed the fast of abstinence from six meals without drinking water, and having torn out five locks of his hair, he then, under the constellation Uttara Phalguni, at a fortunate conjunction of the moon, assumed the garment of the gods, and all alone, without a companion, and having been shaved, from a householder he became a houseless pilgrim. The adorable ascetic hero for one year and a month wore clothing, afterwards he went robeless, and had no vessel but his hand. The adorable ascetic Mahâvîra, for twelve years and full six months, entirely neglected his body, and laid aside all care of his person, and with whatever things he was brought in contact, whether gods, men, or other animals, whether pleasing or displeasing, he conducted himself with perfect patience and equanimity and felt nothing dispirited by the wretchedness of his condition. The adorable ascetic Mahâvîra was now houseless, a wanderer, a speaker of the truth, eating only what had no fault, having no vessel either to receive presents, or to make oblations, altogether free from pride, perturbation, sin and selfishness, having no gold, plate, nor coin; and as water does not enter the substance of the brazen vessel that is dippend into it, nor sound into that of the conch which emits it, so his soul was not subject to the accidents of mortality, but like the firmament, raised above the world, unrestrained like air and fire, and pure as the showers in spring. His person resembled pure gold, and was. of the colour of pure honey or fire; and yet he was patient as the earth, trodden on by the feet of all the world-he had no attachment or til binding him to the world. These ties are of 'four kinds: articles of possession, place, time, affections.
On finishing the rest of the rainy season, the venerable ascetic Mahâvîra travelled eight months, during hot and cold weather, remaining a night at a village, and five in a city, esteeming the dust of ill-flavoured wood and of sandal-wood the same; looking on grass and pearls, gold and a clod of earth, pleasure and pain as all alike, bound neither to this world nor to the world to come, desiring neither life nor death, wholly superior to worldly attachments, setting himself to slay the enemy, Works. Thus did he labour for twelve years in the road that leads to absolute repose (Nirvana), to attain perfect wisdom and perception, religious
