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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have knowledge about slips or transgressions, and in fulfilling his spiritual routine, he should carefully avoid them".
On a request from Ananda, Bhagavan Mahavira elaborated at length the various slips of transgressions. Thereon Ananda courted five anuvratas and seven sikṣavratas. In reciting one of these vows, he said,
"Bhante! From this day onward, I affirm that I shall not pay homage and obeisance to a heretic, to the gods of the heretics or to the arihantas (great souls) of the heretics. Unless addressed by them, I shall not talk to them, nor enter into discussion with them, nor consider them worthy of my offer of food, drink, dainties and delicacies. From the purview of this vow, however, the following will be excluded: the king, the sect, the strong, the pressure from the gods, the advice of the preceptor, an inclement situation as in a forest only, when I may make an offer of food, etc."
Expressing his firm devotion to religion, householder Ananda said,
"Bhante! I affirm that I shall offer pure and prescribed food, drink, dainties and delicacies, cloth, blanket, bowl, duster, back-plank, bed-plank, bed, wrapper, medicine and herbs to the nirgrantha monks"
Having courted the 12 vows of a lay follower, householder Ananda asked many questions and tried his best to get into the fundamentals of religion. Then he thrice moved round Bhagavan Mahavira, bowed before him and returned home. Being delighted beyond limit, he said as follows to his wife Sivananda:
"Today, I have heard about religion straight from the mouth of Bhagavan Mahavira. This is very good for me. This is very helpful to me. My dear! It is my sincere wish that you too go to him, pay him homage and obeisance, worship him and court from him five aṇuvratas and seven sikṣavratas which are meant to be practised by the householders".
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