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of imitation by the common people because, when illustrious persons leaving aside their obstinacy, accept the truth, common people walking in their foot-steps, engage themselves in the welfare of their Soul.
Ganadhara Gautama and Anand Sravaka Out of the Śrāvaks wa Jain lay-men with the prescribed vows, those who rise high and higher by very carefully observing their accepted vows, at times, acquire santa A vadhi Jnana, Visual Knowledge. Although the ten principal Sravaks of Srama na Bhagavān Mabâvira carefully observed the series of Eleven gaars Pratimas, Stages of Spirituality suitable for lay-men and practised very severe austerities, only two of them viz 177 9194 Ananda Śravaka and #81199 Mahāśatakaji acquired 379 fy FIA Avadhi Jnâna, Visual Knowledge.
Așandaji observed his vows for fourteen years with great · devotion worshipping images of feaseT TATAT Jinéśvara
Paramātmās, the most exalted lords of the Jainas and practising prolonged fasting and other religious ceremonies. With the advent of the fifteenth year, Aşanda ja eagerly desirous of observing the series of Eleven gfahr Pratimas, Stages of Spiritual Development for Śravaks, cordially invited his castepeople, relatives and friends and welcomed them with excellent dinners. He then appointed his eldest son as the head of his family in their presence and with the permission of his family. members and friends, he went to the monastery at pigtaa t Kollāka Sannivéśa, the suburb Kollāka in the
Vāņija sa village. Anandaji wiped clean the ground and carefully inspected the place for urination and defoecation so as to make himself sure that it was perfectly free from small animalcutes and vermins and sitting on a seat of dry grass, Anandaji commenced the first Pratimā gfaar Stage of Spiritual Development for Śrāvaks, devoutly observing the various religious ceremonies mentioned in the Scriptures and in due course of time he completed the Eleven gants Stages of Spiritual Development.
