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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an outlay of 27, 00, 00, 000 gold coins. She prayed to the Buddha to give her a monk who could help her in supervising this work. Said the Buddha,
"You pick up the begging bowl and the rag of the monk whom you intend to have for this purpose".
Visakha thought the Moggallana commanded great powers by dint of which he could help her in the quick construction of the shelter. So she named him and the Buddha agreed. It is stated that because of the occult powers of the great Moggallana that Visakha's masons were able to mobilise big trees and stone-slabs from a distance of even 60 yojanas in course on a single night (9).
The Jaina tradition, however, does not permit a monk to assist in this sort of enterprise, nor does it consider worthwhile to permit a monk to display his occult powers. But even in this tradition,, (in somewhat different contexts) we have on record many strange accounts of labdhi-power and its application. We have noted elsewhere how Nandisena, a son of Srenika, who had joined the monastic order of Mahavira, displayed his power to stupefy a prostitute.
We have in the Jaina tradition the story of Mahavira shaking the whole of Mount Meru by the touch of his thumb in order to alert the Indra. Likewise, we have in the Buddhist tradition the story of Moggallana shaking a palace named Jayanta by the touch of his thumb for a similar purpose (10). It is stated that once the Buddha, Moggallana and others were at the topmost floor of a shelter (purvārama). At the ground floor of the same building, some misguided monks were making a noise and indulging in indecent talks. To warn them, Moggallana shook the whole palace by dint of his occult power. When these misguided monks became thrilled and alarmed, the Buddha spoke to them words of enlightenment (11).
About the monks of Mahavira, we have the following in the Uvavai (12):
There were many who could mentally curse or favour anyone.