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Acharya Sri Kalassagarsun yarmande
www.barth.org
Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
Shining with the light of pure knowledge, he delivered his first sermon.
HIS FIRST SERMON
1 TOMS VAIRCASE CONTROL the gods became aware of his achievement. Led by Indra they arrived on earth to celebrate his new status as a lina, who has conquered birth and death. They brought celestial gifts. including an ashoka tree, which they planted at the spot and which grew at once into
a majestic fully grown tree. Around the ashoka tree they built a glorious pavilion as a place for him to teach from for now that he had achieved perfect knowledge they wanted to be the first to hear what he had learned
They wanted to create an unforgettable setting, so the pavilion they built, named the Samavasarana, was anique. First the wind god swept all dust and dirt from the site and the rain god moistened the ground with a gentle shower, leaving a pleasing aroma of clean earth. Then the gods of each of the seasons scattered flowers everywhere, which bloomed in all the colors of the rainbow and filled the air with scented perfumes. Next came the builders, gods whose task was to engineer the miverse. They constructed a series of concentric platforms, each higher than the previous, leading up to a central stage thousands of steps above the ground.
The entire construction covered a vast area. Its outer enclosure, walled with silver, had gateways from each of the four directions. It contained beautiful gardens, with places for the visiting gods and humans to leave their aerial chariots. The middle enclosure, entered through four more gates was bounded in gald, und was prepared for the many animals to assemble- lions, tigers, elephants, cows and peacocks and other birds. They too wished to hear the words of Mahavira. The innermost enclosure, shunmering with precious stones and gems, was where the gods and humans were to sit. At its center was the highest level, from which the ashoka tree extended high into the air, Beneath its spreading branches were four golden thrones, one facing each of the four directions
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