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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsun Gyanmandir
Mahaviraswami aduising Saddalputra
Mahavira. She bowed down before him.Agnimitra's heart was filled with devotion for Tirthankara Mahavira when she heard his exalted teachings. She became a Jaina lay devotee and took the twelve vows prescribed for the Jaina lay people.
The Humility of Gautama
It was noon on a hot day and Indrabhuti Gautama, the prime disciple of Tirthankara Mahavira, was making his way back, having received alms for the day.
While Gautama was crossing the main road, he heard from the people that Mahavira's lay-disciple Ananda had taken the vow of fasting-unto-death and was lying on a bed of holy dry grass. Gautama, an embodiment of love, went to see him. Ananda was a very rich man. He possessed eighteen crore gold coins and sixty thousand cows. When he saw that the venerable Gautama had come to see him, he was very happy and paid his respects to Gautama. He asked Gautama, "O venerable Gautama, can a householder, who has not become an ascetic, attain the power of supernatural sight ?"
Gautama answered, “Yes indeed, even a householder can attain the power of supernatural sight."
On hearing the answer, Ananda's face glowed and he said to Gautama, "If that is the case, then, O venerable Gautama, I would like to inform you that I can see an area of two thousand miles across the earth in all directions, and upwards to the first heaven, and downwards to the first hell. I can see everything in this area, whether it is covered or exposed, subtle or gross."
It seemed from Ananda's voice that he was truly experiencing this supernatural vision. The members of the family and relatives who had gathered round Ananda were surprised to hear this. Even Gautama, who had many wonderful cognitive powers, was puzzled for a moment but at last he said to Ananda, "I do maintain, Ananda, that a householder can indeed possess
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