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...... EMANCIPATION OF PĀRŚVANĀTHA 423 his city. “By what acts in a former birth did I attain this magnificence?” So questioned by him, the Blessed One, Lord Pārsva said:
“In a former birth you were a gardener, Asoka by name, in a village, Hellūra, in the country Mahārāșțra. One day after selling flowers, you started home. Half-way on the road, you entered a layman's house where the statue of an Arhat was set up. Seeing the Arhat's statue there, looking for flowers, you put your hand in the basket and found there nine flowers. You put them on the Arhat and acquired great merit.
One day you presented a priyangu-blossom to the king. You were installed by the king as the head of the guild and, when you died, you became lord of nine lacs of drammas 380 in Elapura. After death you became lord of nine crores of money 381 in the same place. When you died, you became lord of nine lacs of gold in the city Svarṇapatha. After death you became lord of nine crores of gold in the same place. After death you became master of nine lacs of jewels in Ratnapura. In course of time you died and became master of fully nine crores of jewels in the same city, Ratnapura. You died and became a king, the son of King Vallabha in Vātikā, lord of nine lacs of villages. Then you died and became such a king-lord of nine treasures. From this birth you will go to the Anuttara-palace.”
After hearing the Master's account, the king, very devout, became a mendicant at that time.
The Congregation (311-315) As the Lord wandered, his retinue from the day of
380 304. Dramma, according to PH, equals a gold mohar, which was probably about 15 rupees in Hemacandra's time. But he is supposed to be richer in each birth and, if he starts with a gold coin, what would his nine lacs of gold' be? I think probably dramma here should be taken as about a rupee.
381 305. I strongly suspect that the 'dravya’ of the edition should be read 'dramma.'
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