Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 6

Author(s): Hemchandracharya, Helen M Johnson
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra

Page 238

198
CHAPTER EIGHT the great ascetic, reach?” The Master explained: “Jamāli, a great ascetic, became a Kilbișika god in the heaven Lāntaka with a life of thirteen sāgaras." Again Gautama asked: “Why did he become a Kilbişika by such penances? Where will he go, when he has fallen ? " The Blessed One replied: “ Souls that are hostile to teachers of dharma, the possessors of good conduct, to teachers, sect, order, congregation are born among the Kilbişikas, et cetera, even though they have practiced penance. Because of that sin Jamāli became a Kilbişika. After he has fallen from that and has wandered thorough animal-, man-, and god-births five times, Jamāli, having experienced enlightenment, will attain emancipation. That is not accomplished by an enemy of the teachers of dharma, et cetera.” Having explained so, the Blessed One went elsewhere in his wandering.
Story of the Yakșa and painter (109–156) Now in the city Sāketa a Yakşa, named Surapriya, is painted every year and a great festival is held. If he is painted, he kills the painter who does the painting. On the other hand, if he is not painted, he creates a pestilence throughout the whole city. Then the painters, terrified, began to flee; and all were prevented by the king who was afraid of a pestilence among his subjects. Bail was taken from them and their names were written on leaves and thrown in a jar resembling a film over Yama's eye. Each year the painter, whose leaf drawn by mere chance came up, went and painted the Yakşa.
So, time passing, one day a painter, Dāraka, came there from Kaušāmbi for the purpose of studying painting. The painter lived in the house of an old woman and gradually friendship developed between him and her son. At that time the name-leaf of the old woman's son came up, like a leaf turned up by Kftānta; and the old woman wept. Asked by the young painter from Kaušāmbi the reason for her weeping, she told him the story of the Yakşa and her son's turn.