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"Do you,
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MAHĀVIRA'S FIRST SIX YEARS AS AN ASCETIC said to his (the suri's) disciples who were asleep: miserable disciples, shaven-heads,97 sleep the whole night, like pythons, after eating alms as you like by day? You certainly do not know this: that the suri has died. This is affection for gurus, indeed! on the part of you, well-born. Because of his words, the sages arose, thinking, Who is this man who talks in this way like a piśāca?" They went near the ācārya and, when they had seen him like that, they blamed themselves for a long time, like sons in a good family. After Gośāla had ridiculed them, a clown from talking as he liked, he went to the Lord, and the Lord went to the hamlet Coraka. The Master, engaged in kayotsarga, and Gośāla were seen by guards searching there for spies from fear of enemies. The Lord was questioned by them, Who are you? Say. But he gave no answer at all because he had a vow of silence. Indeed, munis observing silence are the same as deaf.
"He is certainly some one's spy, since he remains silent. They, cruel at heart, took the Master and Gośāla prisoners. They bound Gośāla like a witch and threw him down a well. They drew him up and let him down repeatedly, like a water-jar. Two disciples of Pārśva, sisters of Utpala, Soma and Jayantikā, best of nuns, mendicants, were living in Coraka at that time. They heard from the people, "Two men of such and such appearance are being tortured by the guards by throwing them in and lifting them out of water. That might be the ascetic, the last Tirthakara, and they approached the Lord instantly and saw him in such a condition. They said to the guards: "Fools, wishing to die, do you not know that he is the lord, son of King Siddhartha?" Terrified, they released the Master, bowed, and begged his forgiveness again and again. Indeed great men do not become angry, but are indulgent with people terrified of themselves.
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After he had spent several days there, the Supreme Lord
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97 473. A term of reproach-their heads were shaven, instead of the hair being pulled out.
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