________________
THE INITIATION AND OMNISCIENCE OF AJITA 133 wakeful person passing the night with a story full of flavors. The nun administered the lesser vows to her, and went elsewhere. For generally ascetics do not stay in one place after the rains.
Suddhabhatta made money and came back from abroad like a pigeon, drawn by his love for his wife. The Brāhman said to his wife : 'My dear, how did you endure separation from me, since you were formerly unable to endure it, like a lotus unable to bear cold ?' Sulaksaņā explained: 'Listen, lord of my life. Like a duck into the desert, like a fish into a little water, like the crescent-moon into the mouth of Rāhu, like a deer into a forest-fire, I fell into separation from you, hard to bear, the gate to death. Like a light in darkness, like a ship on the ocean, like rain in a desert, like an uninjured eye to a blind person, the nun Vipulā, a wide ocean of compassion only, came to me when I had fallen into separation from you. At the sight of her, my grief arising from separation from you disappeared. I attained right-belief, the fruit of human birth.'
Suddhabhațţa replied, O wife, what is this rightbelief which is called the fruit of human birth ?'
Sulaksaņā said: 'Listen, noble husband. This should be told to dear ones. You are dearer than life. Whatever knowledge of divinity there is in reference to God, whatever conception of a guru there is in reference to a guru, whatever pure idea of dharma there is in reference to dharma, that is called "right-belief.' On the contrary, whatever idea of God there is in regard to non-God, whatever thought of a guru in regard to a non-guru, whatever conception of dharma in regard to non-dharma, that is wrong-belief. The Omniscient, who has overcome the faults, love, etc., worshipped by the three worlds, giving true interpretation, God, Arhat, Supreme Lord, must be meditated on, he must be served, he must be sought as refuge. His teaching alone must be adopted, if there is understanding.
The gods who are stained with marks of women, weapons, a rosary, etc., love, etc., devoted to blame and
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
