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270
SHRAMAN MAHAVIR
'Yes sir, physical cause, vocal cause and mental cause differ from one another'
'Austere gentleman! Tell me which of the three kinds of causes is the most far-reaching in provoking one towards sins
May you live long, sirel It is the physical cause that goes a long way to prompt one to commit sins not so the vocal and the mental one'
'Pray tell me Gautam, sır, how many kinds of causes you prescribe for the eradication of sins' ,
'Tathagata (Buddha) does not believe in prescribing the causes for the elimination of all sinful tendencies He believes in prescribing Karmas (deeds) for the purpose
'Then tell me Gautam, sir, how many deeds do you prescribe'
'Three kinds of deeds physical deed, vocal deed and mental deed'
'Does it mean Gautam that physical activity, vocal activity and mental activity differ from one another?'
'Yes, austere gentleman, physical, oral and mental acts differ from one another
'Then worthy Gautam. Which of the three deeds is most effective in adding to the sinful tendency?'
'I hold mental activity to be the most sinful of all the kinds of activities
The great austere left his seat and went where Nirgrantha Natputta was Nirgrantha Natputta was engaged with a large group of householders, Upalı etc from Balaks (Lonkar). Nirgrantha Natputra asked Dirghatapasvi before he had reached him
'Wherefrom austere gentleman, at this hour of afternoon ?' 'I come from monk Gautam, sire' 'Did you converse with him?' 'I did, Sire!' 'Pray tell me all that transpired between you and him'
