________________
THE INITIATION AND OMNISCIENCE OF AJITA 91 The Lord spent twelve years enduring trials with severe and manifold penances and with numerous vows.177
The Master, never settled like a rhinoceros, 178 solitary as the horn of a rhinoceros, 179 motionless as Sumeru, fearless as a lion, unrestrained as the wind, his gaze fixed on one object like that of a serpent, his luster being increased from penance like gold from fire; surrounded by the three controls like a choice tree by hedges; observing the five kinds of carefulness, like Dhanvin (Love) carrying five arrows in his hand; meditating on the fourfold meditation ---the teaching of the Jinas, the difficulties arising from love, hate, and delusion, the results of karma, and the form of the universe, 180' having a form himself worthy to be meditated on 181 wandering in villages, cities, and forests, the Lord gradually approached the grove Sahasrāmravana.
The Lord's omniscience (334-354) The Lord stood in pratimā 182 under a saptacchada 188 tree that served as an umbrella, motionless as its trunk. Then the Lord went from the guṇasthāna named 'apramattasamyata' 184 to the eighth guṇasthāna named
177 328. Abhigraha. See I, n. 102.
178 329. Hemacandra's observations in regard to natural history are usually very accurate, but anāsína seems inapt. The rhinoceros, in captivity at least, does lie down and rest. Anāsina must refer to its wandering about and not settling down in one place,
179 329. Cf. khagga, Pali Text Society lexicon, for comparison of a Pratyekabuddha with a rhinoceros-horn. In the older works the comparison is incorrectly interpreted as being with the rhinoceros itself.
180 332. The four divisions of dharmadhyāna. See below, this chapter.
181 332. I.e., as a Tirthankara. See I, n. 409. 182 334. See I, n. 81. 188 334. Alstonia Scholaris.
184 335. The seventh, free from negligences and with self-control.' For gunasthānas, see I, App. III.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
