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CHAPTER ELEVEN
gurus. I practiced the conduct of the good, such as these things mentioned." After he had related this, he was commanded by the scepter-bearer, "Tell your bad deeds, also." "As the result of association with ascetics, I have never done anything wicked," Rauhineya replied. The doorkeeper said, A life passes according to several natures; so confess theft, adultery, and other things." "Would anyone guilty of such conduct reach heaven? Does a blind man climb a mountain?" answered Rauhiņeya. They went and reported all this to Abhaya, and Abhaya reported to King Śrenika.
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By such means it is not possible to determine who is a thief. Even if he is a thief, he must be released. The law can not be broken." So on the advice of the king, Abhaya released Rauhiṇeya. Sometimes even the wise are deceived by those clever in deceit.
Then the thief reflected: "Shame upon the teaching of my father, by which for too long a time I have been defrauded of the nectar of the speech of the Jina. If the speech of the Lord had not entered the hollow of my ear, then I would have entered the realm of Yama as the result of many beatings. Verily, a cure of making me live-as if I had been a sick man-was produced, when I heard the speech of the Jina, even though by accident. Alas! I ignored the word of the Arhat, and took delight in the word of a thief for a long time. I cast aside mangoes for nimbas,203 like a crow. If a part of his instruction bears such fruit, what will his teaching, regarded in its entirety, accomplish?' Reflecting thus, Rauhiṇeya entered the presence of the Jina, bowed with reverence at his feet and made confession:
"In the ocean of worldly existence of living creatures, an ocean filled with crocodiles in the form of terrible calamities, your speech extending for a yojana is a big ship. I was prevented from hearing your words for so long a time,
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203 86. The mango is the choicest fruit in India; the nimba is very bitter.
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