Agama And Tripitaka Comparative Study

SR No.: 022804
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nagaraj Muni
Publisher: Today and Tomorrows Printers and Publishers
Publication Year: 1986
Total Pages: 804
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

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13. Tapasa monks A group of 1503 tāpasa monks were going up on the Astapada mountain. Koḍinna, Dinna and Sevala were the leaders. In other words, each headed a family of 500 monks. All of them were thin and emaciated because of hard penances. Kodinna and his group reached upto the first stage on the Aṣṭapada mountain, Dinna and his party upto the second stage and Sevāla and his monk upto the third stage of the mountain. The Aştapada mountain had in all eight stages, each being at the distance of a yojana from the other. The monks found themselves incapable to go any further up.
(As the tapasa monks watched), Ganadhara Gautama reached the top of the mountain by dint of his spiritual powers. When the tapasas saw this unusual feat, they were very much impressed. The monks decided that when the monk would come down from the Astapada mountain, they would all become his disciples.
When Indrabhuti Gautama descended from the Astapada mountain, all the tapasa monks prayed,
"Sire! You are our guru, and we are your disciples".
Thereon, Indrabhuti reinitiated the 1503 monks, and by dint of his spiritual power called aksina-mahāna salabdhi, he produced a pot of khira with which all the monks were fed. The newly reinitiated monks became obliged to him at this second display of spiritual power by their guru (24).
(The authenticity of this account has not been accepted by some sects of the Jainas).
14. King Dasārṇabhadra Dasarnabhadra was the king of Dasarnapura. He maintained a harem of 500 queens, and had a very large army. Having finished his lunch, the king was comfortably seated enjoying various pleasures. Suddenly, the keeper of the royal garden rushed in and announced,
"Deva! Today, the last Tirthankara, Bhagavān Mahavira, has arrived at the garden".