Way of Life Part 2

Author(s): Bhadraguptasuri
Publisher: Vishvakalyan Prakashan Trust Mehsana

Page 96

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THE WAY OF LIFE
for wealth. His heart became completely crual. For twelve years, he had been contemplating regicide.
Slowly, he stood up and took out his dagger from the mop. The hall was completely dark. The young man suddenly and silently went near the king. He cut off the throat of the King and he killed him. Leaving the dagger sticking in the King's throat, he ran out of the palace; ran out of the city and disappeared into the darkness of the night. After ruthlessly killing the king, who was at that time, a saintly king, the young man ran away. What prompted him to commit this murder ? It was the desire for wealth that prompted him to commit regicide. It was Parigrahasamjna or the desire for wealth that impelled him to deceive the Acharya; to put on the guise of a Sadhu; to betray the trust and confidence reposed in him and to kill the king. The desire for wealth can bring about such terrible propensities and actions.
THE ACHARYA'S SENSE OF TIMELINESS
The King's throat had been cut with the dagger. Blood was flowing profusely and the Acharya's Samstharak (woollen blanket) became wet with the blood. At once, the Acharya woke up. Since it was dark, nothing was clearly visible. He touched the place around him with his hands and his hands were smeared with blood. He called out, "Vinayaratna.... Vinayaratna". But the treacherous Vinayaratna was not there to give a reply. When there was no reply from Vinayaratna and when he found that only Vinayaratna's blanket lay on the floor and that Vinayaratna was not sleeping there, he saw the King closely and the ghastly sight stunned him. He stood stupefied and petrified. "The King has been murdered. Who might have killed him?" The Acharya began to think. When Vinayaratna did not turn up for a long time, the Acharya thought, "That young man who was in the guise of a Sadhu must be an enemy of the King. I have been deceived! But what is to be done now? When in the morning, the news of the King's murder spreads in the palace and in the city, people will accuse me of having killed the king! They will say that the Jain acharya has murdered the King. On account of this, my Dharma will be dis