Narrative Tale in Jain Literature

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Asiatic Society

Page 57

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NARRATIVE TALE IN JAIN LITERATURE
vows and the seven disciplinary vows. May it so please you, o beloved of the devas! Do not deny me!"
13. Then the householder Ananda, in the presence of the Samaņa, the blessed Mahāvīra, in the first place renounced all gross ill-usage of living beings, saying : "As long as I live, in its two forms and in its three ways, I will not do it nor cause it to be done, either in thought or in word or in deed."
14. Next he renounced all grossly lying speech, saying: “As long as I live, in its two forms and its three ways, I will not do it nor cause it to be done, either in thought or in word or in deed."
15. Next the renounced all gross taking of things not given, saying: "As long as I live, in its two forms and in its three ways, I will not do it nor cause it to be done, either in thought or in word or in deed."
16. Next he limits himself to contentment with his own wife, saying : "Excepting wit wife, I renounce every other kind of sexual intercourse."
17. Next setting limits to his desires, he limits himself to his actual possession of gold, wrought and unwrought, saying: “Excepting my treasure of the four kros measures of gold deposited in a safe place, my capital of four kror measures of gold put out on interest, and my well-stocked estate of the value of four kror measures of gold, I renounce the possession of any other gold, wrought or unwrought."
18. Next he limits himself to his actual possession of four-footed animals, saying : "Excepting my four herds, each herd consisting of ten thousand heads of cattle, I renounce the possession of any other four-footed animals."
19. Next he limits himself in his possession of landed property, saying : “Excepting five hundred ploughs, and land at the rate of one hundred niyattanas for each plough, I renounce the possession of any other landed property."
20. Next he limits himself in his possession of carts, saying : “Excepting five hundred carts for foreign traffic and five hundred carts for home use, I renounce the possession of any other carts."
21. Next he limits himself in his possession of boats, saying: “Excepting four boats for foreign traffic and four