________________
34 1
Education Rather than Exposure
to
When be again visited 'Morak Sanniveśa' he found there one astrologer named 'Acchandaka'. He was earning his livelyhood by cheating ignorant masses by performing some magical feats. Mahavira knew his tricks and decided expose him. Mahavira did possess better power to impress people with the result that people began to desert the magician, who then went to Mahavira and told him that his presence in the village would destroy his bread and he would be rendered homeless and his family would starve. While on the other hand, a recluse like Mahavira, could go anywhere He prayed to have pity on him and his family and shift to some other place. Mahavira realised his mistake of showing unnecessary public spirit (which today is exhibited by many busybodies) and decided not to exhibit his spiritual power in such a manner in future. Education rather than exposure is the foundation of Mahavira's teaching, and it is here that our Marxist friends would perhaps differ. Poisonous Fangs of Canda Kausika
The Path of Arhat: A Religious Democracy
fell in a nearby
A hermitage at Kanakkhal near the township of Vacala was managed by a Rși called Kausika. Some boys repeatedly damaged the fruit trees and flowers of the garden of this hermitage which angered the Rşi very much. Once when the boys were seen damaging the fruit trees, Rşi Kausika chased them to punish, but stumbled over something, well and died on the spot. Story says that as he died when he was full of anger he was born at that very place as a deadly poisonous serpent whose breath as well as sight emitted poison which would kill all living things on which they were thrown. The result was that people ceased to frequent that place and the hermitage was converted into a deserted mess of wild shrubs and trees.
Once Mahavira during his wanderings, was going towards 'Vacala' and was found passing by the way which was going to the abode of the above referred poisonous serpent who was
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
