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CHAPTER FOUR can he, indifferent to the body, be cured who, eager to wear away karma, thinks pain a good thing? ” Siddhārtha said: *** What is the use of this talk of yours now? There is no time for this talk. The Blessed One must certainly be cured.”
While they were talking in this way, the Lord, indifferent, went away and stood in a garden outside, absorbed in pure meditation. Siddhārtha and Kharaka took remedies, et cetera and, hastening, approached the Lord in the garden. After placing the Lord in a tub of oil and rubbing him with oil, they had him massaged by very strong masseurs. When the Lord's joints had been relaxed from the rubbing by strong men, the pegs in the ears were pulled out with pincers at the same time. The two bloody pegs left the ear-cavities, like the Lord's remaining feeling-karma in person. The pain from pulling out the pegs was such that the Lord uttered a terrible cry, like a mountain struck by a thunderbolt. The earth did not burst from the cry because of the Master's power. Even in distress the Arhats do not cause calamities to others. After healing his ears with a healing herb and bowing to the Lord and asking his forgiveness (for any fault), Siddhārtha and Kharaka went to their house.
Since they had caused the Lord pain with pure hearts, they both became recipients of glory in heaven. But the cowherd had caused pain to the Master with an evil heart and he became the recipient of the pains of the seventh hell. From the Master's terrible cry, the garden was called Mahābhairava and the people made a temple in it.
Among all the attacks made on Lord Sri Vira the extreme cold made by Kațapūtană was the worst of those in the lowest category; the wheel of time was the worst of those in the medium category; and this extraction of pegs the worst of those in the highest category. The attacks commenced by a cowherd were completed by a cowherd, too. There were nine fasts of four months; six of two months; twelve of one month; seventy-two of one-half month; one of six months; two of three months; two of one month and a half; two of two months and
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