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NEW IDEOLOGIES. NEW TRADITIONS
151
The movement of equity rose to new heights, thanks to the superb leadership provided by the Lord
It was incumbent upon every one who joined the order to embrace the observance of equanimity (samayıka) and still they very often found themselves unequal to the task of purging themselves of their latencies
(1) Once a few Jain monks appeared before the Lord and said, 'My Lord! We have been admitted to the fold of your holy order We have been initiated into the order of equanimity And still it is so, sire, that some of our colleagues exult in their caste and genealogy and extol it!'
The Lord welcomed the group of monks and said, 'You have joined the holy order Are you aware of it saintly being?"
'We are, sire'
'Are you aware of the order in which you were thus initiated?'
'We are sire We have been initiated into your holy order' 'Do you know which order I have propounded?'
'We know my Lord Your Holiness has propounded the holy order of equanimity 1
'Holy Beings! Is it permissible in the order of equanimity to exult in one's caste?'
'No my Lord, it is not permissible However, our latencies die hard'
The Lord exhorted them thus
'If the Brahmin, Ksatriya, Ugraputra or Lichchhavi initiated into my holy order of equanimity still subscribe to castes and exúlt therein, they behave like unregenerate beings
'May such a one apply his mind to the issue Can a shramana be supposed to boast of his caste and genealogy when he subsists on begged food?'
(2) Questioned a monk 'Then my Lord! Dont we own any caste distinction?'
1
'Suyagado, 1/2/6 2 lbid 1/13/10, 11
