Book Title: Tulsi Prajna 1996 04
Author(s): Parmeshwar Solanki
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

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Page 171
________________ TULSI-PRAJNĀ Now I would like to narrate a story about a Buddhist sage who expounded the Sunya Doctrine. It is known from the chinese translation of the story of Arya Deva that he was stabbed while he was absorbed in meditation in a lonely forest. When he was at the point of death, he advised his enemy to flee away in the guise of a monk. He also offered his assailant a pair of his robes and the begging bowl, This story narrates an incomparable tolerance of the a Buddhist sage who not only forgive his assailant but helped him to escape safely. 13 Buddhists consider the whole world as a single unit and therefore they are not against any country, caste or religion. As a without the development of limbs, out body will never develop, this world need the develop of all the countries, race and the religious sects. In this connection Santideva remarks that as you protect the hands, the feet, etc., assuming them to be members of one body, you should, in the same way, protect all living creatures and as the suffering of the hands, feet, the head, etc; is considered by you, not isolated but integral, so the suffering of the whole world is to be considered as integral viz., hastadibhedema bahuprakarah kayo yathaika paripalaniyah | tatha jagadbhinnamabhinnaduhkha sukhatmakam sarvamidam ththaiva //14 Buddhists consider that the Bund has are seen in the form of sentient beings in this world. Therefore if we love the Bundhas, we must love the sentient beings, honour them and serve them. In the Bodhicaryavatara, Santideva says that we should be like a helper to the helpless, a guide to the wayfarer, a boat or a bridge to him who desires to cross over to the other shore. It is known from the same source that a Boddisattva should serve like a doctor, medicine and nurse for all the sick beings in this world until everyone is healed viz; 18 glananamasmi bhaisajyam bhaveyam valdya eva ca tadupathayakascaiva yavadrogapunarbhavah ||15 Again a Bodhisattva should always think about the betterment of all the creatures. According to Santideva-"May a rain of food and drink descend to clear away the pain of thirst and hunger and during the famine may I myself change into food and drink." Above all Santideva declares that "without any sense of loss I shall give up my body and enjoyments as well as all my virtues of the three times for the sake of benefitting all. By giving up all, sorrow is transcended and my mind will realise the sorrowless state. It is best that I give everything to all beings."17 Without love for the sentinent beings the Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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