Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 6

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

Page 262

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CHAPTER EIGHT said: “Oh, sirs ! all of you listen. I am not an Arhat; I do not possess omniscience. But I am Gośāla, Mankhali's son, Vira's disciple. I was an enemy of (my) guru like a fire consuming (its own) shelter. I myself and the people were deceived for so long a time by me by fraud. I shall die, an ordinary ascetic, consumed by my own hot flash. Sirs, I must be dragged through this city by ropes tied to the left foot. You, spitting on my face, dragging me like a dead dog, must proclaim this at the intersections of three streets and of four streets, et cetera in the city:
This is Gośāla, Mankhali's son, by whom the people were deceived, the slayer of munis, not a Jina, the depository of sins, the violator of his teacher's bed.184 But the Blessed Vīra is a Jina, omniscient, the depository of compassion, a teacher of what is beneficial. Gośāla disowned him entirely falsely.""
He had them take an oath to this effect and died in pain. His disciples closed the doors of the potter's house from shame. In order to satisfy their oath the disciples drew a plan of Śrāvasti in it and dragged Gośāla, making the proclamation, et cetera accordingly. Then his disciples took away Gośāla's corpse and made it the guest of fire with great magn ficence.
Future of Gośāla (471-512) Lord Sri Vardhamāna went to the village Mendhaka and stopped there at shrine named Koșthaka. There Muni Gautama asked the Master at a suitable time, “To what state of existence did Gośāla go?” The Master replied, “He went to Acyuta.” Again Gautama asked: “Master, how did he, evil, with such sins become a god? That is strange to me.” The Master explained: “Godhead is not far from one who denounces his own sins at time of death.
184 466. This is an exaggeration to show wicked Gośāla was. He was not guilty of this maximum sin,