Narrative Tale in Jain Literature

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Asiatic Society

Page 82

NARRATIVE TALE IN JAIN LITERATURE
67
186. Then one day in the presence of Saddālaputta, the servant of the Ājīviya, there appeared a certain deva.
187. Then that deva, standing in mid-air and decked out (as above, $ 113, down to) with small bells, spoke thus to Saddālaputta, the servant of the Ājīviya : "There will come here to-morrow, O beloved of the devas of the devas, a great Māhana, who possesses fully formed knowledge and insight, who knows the past, present and future, who is an Arhat, a Jina, a Kevalin, who knows all and sees all, who is rapturously gazed at, adored and worshipped by the (inhabitants of the three worlds, who, for the world of the good devas, men and asuras, is an object of worship, praise, honour, respect and service, as being something excellent, auspicious, divine and sacred, who is furnished with a wealth of meritorions works; him thou shouldst praise and (as aove, 89, down to) wait upon and hospitably invite to a standing provision of stool, plank and bedding." This he said to him for a second and a third time; and having done so, he returned to the place whence he had come.
188. Then to that Saddālaputta, the servant of the Ājiviva, when he was thus spoken to by that deva, there occurred the following inward (etc. as in g 66) reflection : “My teacher and instructor in the Law is Mankhaliputta; he must be the great Māhana, who possesses fully formed knowledge and insight, and (as above, $ 187, down to) who is endowed with a wealth of meritorious works; he will quickly come here to-morrow; then I will praise him and (as above, § 9, down to) wait on hm and hospitably invite him to a standing provision” (and so forth, as above, S 187).
189. Then on the morrow (as above, 8 66 down to) after sunrise, the Samana, the blessed Mahāvīra, (as above $ 9, down to) arrived on a visit; and a company of people went out and (as above, 99, down to) stood waiting on him.
190. Then that Saddālaputta, the servant of the Ājīviya, having been informed of this news, reflected thus : "Truly the Samaņa, the blessed Mahāvīra, (as above 92, down to) is staying here on a visit; so I will go, and praise the Samana, the blessed Mahāvīra, and (as above 89, down to) wait on