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SIXTH INCARNATION AS APARĀJITA
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between us at that time that the second one must come and enlighten the one, who fell first, about the Arhats' dharma. I have come, your sister, to enlighten you. Learn the Jain dharma, a boat for crossing the ocean of existence. Remember the eight-day festivals to the eternal Arhats in the continent Nandiśvara and the festivals at the birth-bath, et cetera, of the living Arhats, each in its proper place, and the words of their teaching experienced by yourself in a former birth. Why do you forget them because of this sleep of another birth? So take mendicancy, which is like a dear friend of emancipation, the fruit of the tree of a human birth, not easy to win even by gods."
After saying this, Śakra's chief-queen got into her aerial car and went away, lighting up the sky above, like lightning.
Then Sumati, whose memory of former births was aroused by that speech at once fell to the ground in a swoon, as if from fear of existence. Sprinkled with sandalwater, fanned by the breezes of fans, she regained consciousness and got up, as if at the end of the night. Her hands folded submissively, she said, "O all you high-born kings, I, remembering my former births, make a request. Pardon me that you have been summoned here on my account. I want to adopt mendicancy, the herb for the disease of wandering through births."
The
The kings replied, "Very well, blameless girl. You are pardoned by us. May your wish be unhindered." Sirin and Sarngin, delighted, held her departure-festival, the crest-jewel of all festivals, with great magnificence. chief-queens of Sakra and Kubera came and worshipped her. For such persons must be honored by Vasava even. Together with seven hundred maidens she adopted mendicancy, a stream for the tree of emancipation, at the lotusfeet of Arya Suvrata. She accepted twofold discipline and practiced many kinds of penance. Pervaded by desire for emancipation, she was the bee in meditation on the lotus of the soul. After some time, when she had mounted the
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