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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsun Gyanmandir
Defectless Food
"Tirthankara Mahavira never accepted food specially prepared for him because he knew that acceptance of such food caused bondage of karma. As he had renounced all evil or defiling activities, he used only such food and drink which were free from all defects. He did not use others' utensils for food, nor did be use others' pieces of cloth. Shunning all consideration about his honourdishonour and desiring no help from others, he went on tour all alone." (18-9)
Flavourless And Tasteless Food
"Tirthankara Mahavira knew well as to how much quantity of food and drink an ascetic should consume. He knew that he should be very moderate. So he was never tempted to relish delicious food. He never expected or desired such food. He lived on plain rice, flour of parched grams and pulses. He lived on these three items alone for eight months. For several fortnights or months he did not even drink water. Even in that state, he toured continuously for two to six months, making very few halts. As he had no desire, sometimes he ate cold cooked food offered to him and sometimes he ate food after fasting for three days, four days, five days or six days. " (58-60)
Search For Food Free from the Defect of Violence
Having entered a village or a city, he vigilantly searched for food which was not specially prepared for him. He avoided houses where hungry and thirsty birds like crows etc. perched on trees, or where Brahmanas, Shramana ascetics, beggars, guests, untouchable low-caste men, cats, dogs, etc. had gathered and slowly and silently moved away from those places so that he might not be an obstruction in their obtaining food and drink : he searched for suitable food elsewhere. Sometimes he accepted soaked, sometimes dry or sometimes cold cooked food. Sometimes he obtained in alms several day's old khichri (hotch-potch), or boiled unsplit pulses, or lump of boiled rice, or rice-water. When he obtained no food in alms, he peacefully passed his day or days without food." (62-67)
Free from the Desire of Sensual Pleasure
"Though venerable Mahavira was not afflicted with any disease, he never ate to fill his stomach completely, kept it partly empty. He was moderate in eating. He never took medicines. For maintaining wholesomeness and purity of his body, he never took recourse to purging, vomiting, an
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