Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 1

Author(s): Hemchandracharya, Helen M Johnson
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra

Page 214

two by two, and the gods quickly moved the others forward. Then the Lord of the World entered the samavasarana by the east gate and made the pradakṣina of the caitya-tree. After bowing to the congregation, the Master sat on the lion-throne, facing the east, like the sun on the eastern mountain, for the destruction of the darkness of the confusion of the world. At once the Vyantara women made three images of the Blessed One placed on jeweled thrones in the other directions. The gods are not able to make a figure like the Lord's, not even of a finger; but such things were from the Master's power. Then behind his body appeared the Lord's halo, compared with which the sun-disc was like a fire-fly. A drum sounded in the sky like a deep cloud, making the four quarters ring with its echoes. A jeweled banner blazed in front of the Lord, like an arm uplifted by Dharma 243 saying, "The Blessed One alone is Master."
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Entering by the east gate, making pradakṣinā three times, bowing to the Lord of the congregation and the congregation, avoiding the place of the sadhus and sādhvis within the first wall, the Vaimānika-women stood between these in the southeast direction. Entering by the south gate with the (same) ceremony, the women of the Bhavanesas, Jyotiskas, and Vyantaras stood in succession in the southwest. Entering by the west gate with the former ceremony, the Bhavanapatis, Jyotiskas, and Vyantaras stood in the west. Entering by the north gate with the same ceremony, the Kalpadevas, men and women, stood successively in the northeast. The inferior man, who had come there first, bows to the superior one coming; bowing also to the one who had come first, he passed on. In the samava sarana there was no restraint, and no dissension at
248 468. The parallel passage in the Yog. has Indra' instead of 'Dharma.'
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