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DISCOURSE 72 a Shraman. "A Sadhu keeps moving". Kindly be so graceful as to visit us again."
Kandarik muni understood the situation. He set out on his vihar. But he did not like the tasteless food he was getting in the various places, he passed through. His mind began to rebel, "Now I cannot carry on the life of a Sadhu. I shall return to worldly life.” He sent away the other munis who were with him, to the Gurudev and he returned to the garden near the city of Pundarik.
The gardener informed the King Pundarik of the matter. The King grew suspicious. He at once went to the garden, saluted the muni and said, "Why have you come back alone?” The muni was silent. He did not even look towards the King. His face was torn by agitation and worry. The King asked him again and again why he had returned but the muni was silent. He gave no reply. At the end, the King asked him a straight question, and put forth a suggestion.
"Do not you like the life of a Sadhu? If so please give me the Sadhu's dress and you take my royal crown and wear it”. SEE HOW DANGEROUS THE TEMPTATION OF TASTE CAN BE
King Pundarik wore the dress of the Sadhu and Kandarik wore the dress and the crown of the King. A householder became a Sadhu and a Sadhu became a householder! The temptation for taste dragged a Sadhu into the morass of samsar and the victory over the sense of taste elevated a householder to the sublime level of a Sadhu. Though King Pundarik was in samsar, he was a victor over the sense of taste. Muni Kandarik was in the guise of a Sadhu but he was enslaved by the sense of taste .... he had been conquered by his sense of taste.
Pundarik muni set off on his vihar to meet the Gurudev. Kandarik hurried into the palace eager to eat and enjoy tasty delicacies and dishes. Throughout the city, people began to speak of Kandarik with contempt, but Kandarik was interested only in eating tasty food to his satisfaction. The temptation for taste rode on his back. He went straight to the kitchen in the
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