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232
SHRAMAN MAHAVIR
for begging meals He heard whispers in the town-'Certain followers of Parshva camp at Pushpawati chaitya outside Tungika Certain aspirants questioned these sectarians of Lord Parshwa'
Gautam probed these inquirers regarding their enquiries and the respective answers
The question put to them was, 'What is the reward of restraint and austerity?'
The monks replied, 'Restraint prevents future bondages Austerity tears asunder the already existing bondages'
The next question was, 'Restraint was meant for preventing future bondages and austerity for destroying earlier bondages Then what factors result in an incarnation on a divine plane?'
Kalıyaputta had replied
'The indiviqual self exists on divine plane, by virtue of austerities performed in the past'
Mehil had said, 'The individual self is born in divine realms by virtue of restraint performed in the past Anandarakshita had said, 'The individual self is born in divine realms by virtue of residual karmas
Saint Kashyap had said, 'It is on account of the weakening of attachment that individual self is born in divine realms
Gautam approached the Lord and narrated to him the dialogues He asked, 'Sire! Were the solutions given by the followers of Parshwa correct? Are they competent to answer such queries? Are they enlightened ones? Are they seasoned individuals and superior sages?'
'The answers of the saintly followers of Parshwa are correct They are capable of offering correct solutions Solutions offered by me are identical'
'What is the result of devoting to such shramanas sire? What are the obvious advantages ?
'One gains knowledge.' 'What use this knowledge, sire?'
