________________
DISCOURSE 67
Those people who cannot tolerate others' excellence and cannot bear to hear the praise of others, cause agitations and unhappiness to others. Rudrak's character was of this type whereas Angarshi was the very embodiment of virtues and absolutely devoted and dedicated to his teacher.
251
One day, he told the two disciples to go to the forest and to bring fuel.
Angarshi accepted the order of his teacher with great regard and went towards the forest but Rudrak did not like his teacher's orders but as a disciple he had to do the work. If he refused to carry out the teacher's orders, he would be sent out of his teacher's house. He too set out, but on the way he saw some people gambling. He sat there until it was noon. He forgot his teacher's orders. He would have remembered his teacher's orders if he had regard for his teacher. When it was noon, he remembered his teacher's orders and he proceeded towards the forest. He saw Angarshi coming from the opposite direction. He was carrying fuel to the teacher's house. Rudrak was filled with fear, "Angarshi will go to the teacher before I can return and he will tell the teacher that I went to the forest just now. In such a case, the teacher will be very angry with me". Thinking thus, he proceeded swiftly towards the forest. On the way, he saw an old woman carrying a bundle of firewood! That helpless, old woman was returning to her village carrying the bundle of firewood after having given food to her
son.
Jain Education International
Rudrak entertained a cruel thought, "I will kill this old woman and carry her bundle of firewood to the teacher's house. Only thus, can I return home soon." He killed the old woman; took up the bundle of sticks and returned home by another path. He said to his teacher, "Sir, please listen to the story of your beloved disciple. I met him just now in the forest. He was sitting at a place playing upto noon. Then he killed an old woman and took her bundle of firewood and now I think he will come here carrying that bundle of firewood. Yes, please see; he is coming there".
As soon as Rudrak completed saying this, Angarshi entered
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
