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oxvi EÓNTAwe.
19. BHAVA. in twelve months, that of all divine beings from the lowest to the highest, and then changes into sukla-lesyā. 779,8.
Finally Citrangada questioned him about some difficult points in the Karma-theory, especially regarding the higher spiritual stages. 780,8.
On the next day the brahman Agnibhūti enquired, who is the god of the Jainas (answer : the vitarāga); how he is to be worshipped (answer : by right conduct); and what merit is thereby acquired. He further asked, what benefit accrues to the vstarāga by being worshipped ; and if there is no such benefit to the vitarāga, why his worshipper is rewarded. Samarāditya solved this question by the analogy of the wishing-stone, mantras, etc., which are worshipped, and without deriving any benefit from being worshipped still award the wo’shipper. 782, 2.
Dhanavệddhi, a new Śrāvaka, argued as follows: 'If a monk makes a layman keep the five small vows which permit some acts excluded by the great vows of the monks, than, he tacitly agrees with such acts being done. Samarāditya removed his doubt by relating the
Apologue of the merchant's six sons.
782, 20–784, 10. Jitaśatru, king of Vasantapura, was so pleased with the dramatic talent of his wife Dhāriņi, that he permitted that on the day of full-moon she and the seraglie might go about as they pleased; he had it proclaimed throughout the town that on that day all inhabitants should leave the town on pain of capital punishment. His command was obeyed by all except six sons of a merchant; they were discovered by the police in the morning, and forthwith sentenced to death by the king. Their father implored him to pardon his sons.. and with great difficulty at last obtained the reprieve of the eldest son; the remaining five sons were executeds. It is not to be assumad that the father approved of their being killed ; in the same way a monk does not approve of certain transgressions of the great vows, when he delivers to laymen the small vows. 784, 10.
Asokacandra interrogated Samaráditya why bad men and