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Monks 'Dilemma
Monks' Dilemma
monkhood and became householders back again. If you do not accept my request I shall never be able to absolve myself of the sin I have committed by forcing you and my mother into monkhood for my selfish objective. I then did not have the courage to resist the temptation. It is wrong that I was forced by the community, fellow citizens, relatives and friends. It was my weakness rather selfishness that weighed on my mind and I succumbed to my own temptations. Had I resisted, nobody would have been able to force me to agree to your monkhood in lieu of my selfish bargain. You have to accept my request else I shall suffer the poignant pangs of my
sin."
disgust on the faces of all present feeling that she was not a true devotee or not a Jain.
It is an unwritten rule that visitors should first pay respects to the head and then go to others. They enquired and reached the room of Deepak's father who was earlier known as Shantilal and now as Prashant muni. His mother and sister were in a different building nearby as male and female monks are not allowed to reside together and even in the same building.
Deepak touched his father's feet and started weeping and wept and wept. Prashant muni raised his head and consoled, "Deepak, you should be happy to see that I am happier than I was as a householder."
Deepak raised his head and with folded hands beseeched, "I am responsible to force you and the whole family into monkhood. It was for my sake, for my education that you and mother had to renounce and become monks. Now for my sake you should return as a householder. I shall pay back all the money with full interest to the charitable trust which forced you both to become monks. I do not accept it as a charitable trust because it financed my studies on the condition that you go into forced monkhood. They are doing it for ages because they need new younger recruits to serve the ageing monks and to keep the institution of monks going."
Prashant muni, "It is not possible now. Rules do not permit this. If I do that the whole community will be up in arms against us, ostracise and excommunicate us. You should forget about it and be happy because we are happy more than we could be by returning as householders.
Deepak, "There are instances of eminent saints who left
Prashant muni, "You should not feel guilty. Your mother and I are equally responsible. We did not have the ability and courage to face the hardships of a householder and adopted an easy option of happy life without any sort of hardships of the life of a householder. Anyway I am now committed to obey our head of the order. I shall take appointment to discuss this issue and I hope that he will be able to convince you."
It was 2.30.p.m. Acharya (the title used for the head of the order of a group or sect of the order of monks) Vinay was busy sorting out problems of dissidence in his own group of followers. Prashant muni followed by Deepak and Deepti entered the room and except Deepti, both bowed and prostrated humbly and meekly like slaves as if living on his charity. Deepti sat down quietly but the twosome kept standing till ordered to sit.
Prashant muni requested the Acharya for being permitted to put up the problem posed by Deepak and submitted, "My
