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well-to-do family. One day, his master assigned him the duty of a gate-keeper. Käsya pa took it as an insult. Out of sheer disgust, he gave up the job and turned his steps towards the forest. In the way, the thieves took away his clothes. Since then, he remained unclad. When once he did not accept them saying,
"Clothes are necessary to cover one's ba shfulness, and the root of bashfulness are our sinful inclinations. I am fully secured against such inclinations. So what do I need clothes for?"
People were very much impressed at his detachment and solitary living, and became his followers. (11)
The Viyāha Pannatti (Bhagavati Sūtra) of the Jaina s (S. 3,.2) gives a detailed account of one Pūr ina Tapa sa who was'also a contemporary of Bhagavān Mahavira. But it does not seem that this Pūrana Tă pa sa was in any way the same person as Purana Kassa pa.
In the Dhammapada --atthakathā, we have a strange and somewhat unusual account of the death of Pūraņa Kassapa. It is stated therein, in part, as follows:
Once there was a competition at Rajagrha between the heretics and the Buddhists about the display of their respective occult powers. The Buddha announced in the presence of King Bimbisara : 'I shall display my occult powers at Sråva sti on the forthcoming full-moon day in the month of Aşādha.' The heretics heard this announcement and followed the Buddha (to Šráva sti) in order to demonstrate the. efficacy of their own occult powers and the failure of those of the Buddha. The Buddha started for Srava sti, and so did the heretics. The latter collected their followers in the largest number. They raised one lakh kārşāpaņas (a stand. ard coin of that name) to meet the costs. The pandal was erected with posts made from khaira trees. All the people sat down in the pandal to display or witness their occult powers.
King Prasenajit of Kośala came to the Great Leader (i. e., the Buddha) and submitted,
| SR No. | 022804 |
| Book Title | Agama And Tripitaka Comparative Study |
| 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 |