Shraman Bhagvana Mahavira Part 4

Author(s): Ratnaprabhvijay, D P Thaker
Publisher: Parimal Publication

Page 95

[Vāda
Nihnavavāda
: 71:
be taken as sãdhus and so, you should not refrain from respecting each other as sådhus.
And, you cannot assert that the word of a deva is more trust-worthy than that of a sadhu. A deva might tell a lic even for the sake of fun etc., but a sādhu being completely averted from falsehood, would never tell a falschood.
Sthaviras tried to persuade them in many other ways, but they were not convinced. Those Avyakta-vā·lins were, therefore, expelled from the Gaccha. Then, wandering here and there, they came to Rājagriha Nagara in course of time and stayed the re in the Guiñasila caitya (temple of an yaksa). King Balabhadra of the Maurya Dynasty was a devotee of Jaina Dharma. So, as soon as he came to know of the arrival of the Nihnavas of the Sceptical Type, he called them with a view to bring them to the right path. When they were brought to his palace, the king ordered them to be killed by crushing them under the feet of elephants. When the retinue of elephants was brought there, in order to crush them, the king was thus told by the nihnavas “O king ' you are a devotee of Jaina Dharma. We are also Jaina śramaņas. Then, why do you kill us ?” The king replied: “According to your principle, who knows whether I am a śrāvaka or not? And who knows if you are not thieves, spies or burglars ?” The Nihnavas said “We are certainly Sadhus and none else.” The king replied :-If you are real Sadhus why do'n't you respect the elderly sādhus in your group?"
On hearing such harsh and tender words of the king, the Nihnavas were roused and brought to the right path with all their doubts removed.
Finally, the king said apologetically that he had to do all that for the benevolent purpose of rousing them from ignorance and hence he craved their pardon, which was duly awarded. 62. (2357).
The same story is now described by the author in details :