Fourth Lecture
When the Kshatriyani Trisala, having seen these
fourteen illustrious, great dreams, awoke, she was glad, pleased, and
joyful, &c. (see § 5, down to) rose from her couch, and descended
from the footstool. Neither hasty nor trembling, with a quick and even
gait like that of the royal swan, she went to the couch of the
Kshatriya Siddhartha. There she awakened the Kshatriya Siddhartha,
addressing him with kind, Pleasing, amiable, tender, illustrious,
beautiful, lucky, blest, auspicious, fortunate, heart-going,
heart-easing, well-measured, sweet, and soft words. (47)
Then the Kshatriyani Trisala, with the permission
of king Siddhartha, sat down on a chair of state inlaid with various
jewels and precious stones in the form of arabesques; calm and
composed, sitting on an excellent, comfortable chair, she addressed
him with kind, pleasing, &c. (see last paragraph), words, and
spoke thus: (48)
'O beloved of the gods, I was just now on my couch
(as described in § 32), &c. (see § 5), and awoke after having
seen the fourteen dreams; to wit, an elephant, &c. What, to be
sure, O my lord, will be the happy result portended by these fourteen
illustrious, great dreams?' (49)
When the Kshatriya Siddhartha had heard and
perceived this news from the Kshatriyani Trisala, he glad, pleased,
-and joyful, &c. (see § 5, down to) firmly fixed the dreams in
his mind, and entered upon considering them; he grasped the meaning of
those dreams with his own innate intelligence and intuition which were
preceded by reflection, and addressing the Kshatriyani Trisala with
kind, pleasing, &c., words, spoke thus: (50)
'O beloved of the gods, you have seen illustrious
dreams, &c. (see § 9, down to) you will give birth to a lovely,
handsome boy, who will be the ensign of our family, the lamp of our
family, the crown of our family, the frontal ornament of our family,
the maker of our family's glory, the sun of our family, the stay of
our family, the maker of our family's joy and fame, the tree of our
family, the exalter of our family; (a boy) with tender hands and feet,
&c. (see § 9, down to the end). (51) And this boy, after having
passed childhood, and, with just ripened intellect, having reached the
state of youth, will become a brave, gallant, and valorous king, the
lord of the realm, with a large and extensive army and train of
waggons. (52) Therefore, O beloved of the gods, you have seen
illustrious, &c., dreams, &c. (see § 9).'
In this way he repeatedly expressed his extreme
satisfaction.
When the Kshatriyani Trisala had heard and
perceived this news from king Siddhirtha, she glad, pleased, and
joyful, &c. (See § 12, down to) and spoke thus: (53)
'That is so, O beloved of the gods, &c. (see §
13, down to) as you have pronounced it.'
Thus saying she accepted the true meaning of the
dreams, and with the permission of king Siddhartha she rose from her
chair of state, inlaid with various jewels and precious stones in the
form of arabesques. She then returned to her own bed, neither hasty
nor trembling, with a quick and even gait like that of the royal swan,
and spoke thus: (54)
'These my excellent and pre-eminent dreams shall
not be counteracted by other bad dreams.'
Accordingly she remained awake to save her dreams
by means of (hearing) good, auspicious, pious, agreeable stories about
gods and religious men. (55)
At the time of daybreak the Kshatriya Siddhirtha
called his family servants and spoke thus: (56)
'Now, beloved of the gods, quickly make ready, or
have made ready, the exterior hall of audience; see that it be
sprinkled with scented water, cleaned, swept, and newly smeared,
furnished with offerings of fragrant, excellent flowers of all five
colours, made highly delightful through curling scented fumes, &c.
(see § 32, down to) and turned, as it were, into a smelling box; also
erect my throne, and having done this quickly return, and report on
the execution of my orders.' (57)
When the family servants were thus spoken to by
king Siddhartha, they--glad, pleased, and joyful, &c. (See § 12,
down to) on their heads, and modestly accepted the words of command,
saying, 'Yes, master!' Then they left the presence of the Kshatriya
Siddhartha, and went to the exterior hall of audience, made it ready,
and erected the throne (as described in the last paragraph). Having
done this, they returned to the Kshatriya Siddhirtha; joining the
palms of their hands so as to bring, the ten nails together, laid the
folded hands on their heads, and reported on the execution of their
orders. (58)
Early at the wane of the night, when the bright
morning disclosed the soft flowers of the full-blown lotuses and
Nymphaeas, rose the sun: he was red like the Asoka, the open Kimsuka,
the bill of a parrot or the Guñgardha; of an intense redness like
that of the Bandhugivaka [Penatpetes Phoenicea], the feet and eyes of
the turtle dove, the scarlet eyes of the Indian cuckoo, a mass of
China roses, or vermilion. He, the thousand-rayed maker of the day,
shining in his radiance, awakened the groups of lotuses. When in due
time the god of the day had risen and by the blows of his hands (or
rays) the darkness was driven away, while the inhabited world was, as
it were, dipped in saffron by the morning sun, the Kshatriya
Siddhartha rose from his bed, (59) descended from the footstool, went
to the hall for gymnastic exercises, and entered it. There he applied
himself to many wholesome exercises, jumped, wrestled, fenced, and
fought till he got thoroughly tired: then he was anointed with
hundredfold and thousandfold refined different kinds of oil, which
nourished, beautified, invigorated, exhilarated, strengthened, and
increased all senses and limbs. On an oiled hide he was shampooed by
clever men with soft and tender palms of the hands and soles of the
feet, who were well acquainted with the best qualities of the
practices of anointing, kneading, and stretching; well trained,
skilful, excellent, expert, intelligent, and never tiring. When by
this fourfold agreeable treatment of the body the king's bones, flesh,
skin, and hair had been benefited, and his fatigues banished, he left
the hall for gymnastic exercises, (60) and entered the bathing-house.
The pleasant bathing-room was very agreeable, and contained many
windows, ornamented with pearls; its floor was decorated with mosaic
of various jewels and precious stones. On the bathing-stool, inlaid
with various jewels and precious stones in the form of arabesques, he
comfortably sat down and bathed himself with water scented with
flowers and perfumes, with tepid water and pure water, according to an
excellent method of bathing, combined with healthy exercises. When
this healthy excellent bathing under many hundred fold pleasures was
over, he dried his body with a long-haired, soft, scented, and
coloured towel, put on a new and costly excellent robe, rubbed himself
with fresh and fragrant Gosirsha [a superior kind of sandal] and
sandal, and ornamented himself with fine wreaths and sandal-ointment.
He put on (ornaments) of jewels and pearls, hung round his neck
fitting necklaces of eighteen, nine, and three strings of pearls, and
one with a pearl pendant, and adorned himself with a zone. He put on a
collar, rings, and charming ornaments of the hair, and encumbered his
arms with excellent bracelets:. he was of excessive beauty. His face
was lighted up by earrings, and his head by a diadem; his breast was
adorned and decked with necklaces, and his fingers were, as it were,
gilded by his rings. His upper garment of fine cloth contained
swinging pearl pendants. He put on, as an emblem of his undefeated
knighthood, glittering, well-made, strong, excellent, beautiful
armlets, made by clever artists of spotless and costly jewels, gold,
and precious stones of many kinds. In short, the king was like the
tree granting all desires, decorated and ornamented; an umbrella, hung
with wreaths and garlands of Korinta flowers, was held above him. He
was fanned with white excellent chowries, while his appearance was
greeted with auspicious shouts of victory. Surrounded by many
chieftains, satraps, kings, princes, knights, sheriffs, heads of
families, ministers, chief ministers, astrologers, counsellors,
servants, dancing masters, citizens, traders, merchants, foremen of
guilds, generals, leaders of caravans, messengers, and
frontier-guards, he-the lord and chief of men, a bull and a lion among
men, shining with excellent lustre and glory, lovely to behold like
the moon emerging from a great white cloud in the midst of the flock
of the planets and of brilliant stars and asterisms-left the
bathing-house, (61) entered the exterior hail of audience and sat down
on his throne with the face towards the east. (62)
On the north-eastern side he ordered eight state
chairs, covered with cloth and auspiciously decorated with white
mustard, to be set down. Not too far from and not too near to himself,
towards the interior of the palace, he had a curtain drawn. It was
adorned with different jewels and precious stones, extremely worth
seeing, very costly, and manufactured in a famous town; its soft cloth
was all over covered with hundreds of patterns and decorated with
pictures of wolves, bulls, horses, men, dolphins, birds, snakes,
Kinnaras, deer, Sarabhas, Yaks, Samsaktas, elephants, shrubs, and
plants. Behind it he ordered to be placed, for the Kshatriyani Trisala,
an excellent chair of state, decorated with arabesques of different
jewels and precious stones, outfitted with a coverlet and a soft
pillow, covered with a white cloth, very soft and agreeable to the
touch. Then he called the family servants and spoke thus: (63)
'Quickly, O beloved of the gods, call the
interpreters of dreams who well know the science of prognostics with
its eight branches, and are well versed in many sciences besides!'
When the family servants were thus spoken to by
king Siddhartha, they-glad, pleased, and joyful, &c.-laid the
folded hands on their heads and modestly accepted the words of
command, saying, 'Yes, master!' (64)
Then they left the presence of the Kshatriya
Siddhartha, went right through the town Kundapura to the houses of the
interpreters of dreams, and called the interpreters of dreams. (65)
Then the interpreters of dreams, being called by
the Kshatriya Siddhartha's family servants, glad, pleased, and joyful,
&c., bathed, made the offering (to the house-gods), performed
auspicious rites and expiatory acts, put on excellent, lucky, pure
court-dress, adorned their persons with small but costly ornaments,
and put, for the sake of auspiciousness, white mustard and Durva grass
on their heads. Thus they issued from their own houses and went right
through the Kshatriya part of the town Kundapura to the front gate of
king Siddhirtha's excellent palace, a jewel of its kind. (66)
There they assembled and went to the exterior hall
of audience in the presence of the Kshatriya Siddhartha. joining the
palms of their hands so as to bring the ten nails together, they laid
the folded hands on their heads and gave him the greeting of victory.
(67)
The king Siddhartha saluted and honoured the
interpreters of dreams, made them presents, and received them with
respect. They sat down, one after the other, on the chairs of state
which had been placed there before. (68) Then the Kshatriya Siddhartha,
placed his wife Trisala behind the curtain, and taking flowers and
fruits in his hands, addressed with utmost courtesy the interpreters
of dreams: (69)
'O beloved of the gods, the Kshatriyani Trisala was
just on her couch, &c. (see § 32, down to the end). -(70 and 71)
What to be sure, O beloved of the gods, will be the result portended
by these fourteen illustrious great dreams?' (72)
When the interpreters of dreams had heard and
perceived this news from the Kshatriya Siddhartha, they-glad, pleased,
and joyful, &c.-fixed the dreams in their minds, entered upon
considering them, and conversed together. (73)
Having found, grasped, discussed, decided upon, and
clearly understood the meaning of these dreams, they recited before
king Siddhartha, the dream-books and spoke thus:
'O beloved of the gods, in our dream-books are
enumerated forty-two (common) dreams and thirty great dreams. Now, O
beloved of the gods, the mothers of universal monarchs or of Arhats
wake up after seeing these fourteen great dreams out of the thirty
great dreams, when the embryo of a universal monarch or an Arhat
enters their womb; (74) viz. an elephant, a bull, &c. (75) The
mothers of Visudevas wake up after seeing any seven great dreams out
of these fourteen great dreams, when the embryo of a Visudeva enters
their womb. (76) The mothers of Baladevas wake up after seeing any
four great dreams out of these fourteen great dreams, when the embryo
of a Baladeva enters their womb. (77) The mother of Mandalikas wake up
after seeing a single great dream out of these fourteen great dreams,
when the embryo of a Mandalika enters their womb. (78) Now, O beloved
of the gods, the Kshatriyani Trisala has seen these fourteen great
dreams, &c. (see § 51, down to the end). (79) And this boy,
&c. (see § 52, down to) the lord of a realm with a large and
extensive army and train of waggons, a universal emperor or a Gina,
the lord of the three worlds, the universal emperor of the law. (80).
Therefore, O beloved of the gods, the Kshatriyani Trisala has seen
illustrious dreams,' &c. (see § 9). (81)
When king Siddhartha had heard and perceived this
news from the interpreter of dreams, he-glad, pleased, and joyful,
&c.-spoke to them thus: (82)
'That is so, O beloved of the gods, &c. (see §
11, down to) as you have pronounced it.'
Thus saying he accepted the true meaning of the
dreams, and honoured the interpreters of dreams with praise and plenty
of food, flowers, perfumes, garlands, and ornaments. He made them a
present in keeping with their station in life [or a life annuity] and
dismissed them. (83)
After this the Kshatriya Siddhartha rose from his
throne, went to the Kshatriyani Trisala behind the curtain, and
addressed her thus: (84)
' Now, O beloved of the gods, you have seen these
fourteen great dreams, &c. (see § 79, 80, down to) emperor of the
law.' (85, 86)
When the Kshatriyani Trisald had heard and
perceived this news, she-glad, pleased, and joyful, &c.-accepted
the true meaning of the dreams. (87) With the permission of king
Siddhirtha she rose from her chair of state which was decorated with
arabesques of various jewels and precious stones, and returned to her
own apartments, neither hasty nor trembling, with a quick and even
gait like that of the royal swan. (88)
From that moment in which the Venerable Ascetic
Mahavira was brought into the family of the Gñatris, many demons in
Vaisramana's service, belonging to the animal world, brought, on
Sakras command, to the palace of king Siddhartha, old and ancient
treasures, of which the owners, deponers, and families to whom they
originally belonged were dead and extinct, and which were hidden in
villages, or mines, or scot-free towns, or towns with earth walls, or
towns with low walls, or isolated towns, or towns accessible by land
and water, or towns accessible either by land or by water only, or in
natural strongholds, or in halting-places for processions or for
caravans, in triangular places, or in places where three or four roads
meet, or in courtyards, or squares, or high roads, or on the site of
villages or towns, or in drains of villages or towns, or in bazaars,
or temples, or assembling halls, or wells, or parks, or gardens, or
woods, or groves, or burying-places, or empty houses, or mountain
caves, or hermits' cells, or secret places between walls, or in houses
on an elevation, or houses for audience, or palaces. (89)
In the night in which the Venerable Ascetic
Mahavira was brought into the family of the Gñatris their silver
increased, their gold increased; their riches, corn, majesty, and
kingdom increased; their army, train, treasure, storehouse, town,
seraglio, subjects, and glory increased; their real valuable property,
as riches, gold, precious stones, jewels, pearls, conches, stones,
corals, rubies, &c., the intensity of their popularity and
liberality highly increased. At that time the following personal,
reflectional, desirable idea occurred to parents of the Venerable
Ascetic Mahavira: (90)
'From the inoment that this our boy has been
begotten, our silver increased, our gold increased, &c. (see §
90, down to) the intensity of our liberality and popularity highly
increased. Therefore when this our boy will be born, we shall give him
the fit name, attributive and conformable to his quality Vardhamana
[the Increasing One].' (91)
Now the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, out of
compassion for his mother, did not move nor stir nor quiver, but
remained quiet, stiff, and motionless. Then the following, &c.
(see § go, down to) idea occurred to the mind of theKshatriyani
Trisala: 'The fruit of my womb has been taken from me, it has died, it
is fallen, it is lost. Formerly it moved, now it does -not move.' Thus
with anxious thoughts and ideas, plunged in a sea of sorrow and
misery, reposing her head on her hand, overcome by painful
reflections, and casting her eyes, on the ground she meditated. And in
the palace,of king Siddhartha the music of drums and stringed
instruments, the clapping of hands, the dramatical performances, and
the amusements of the people ceased, and mournful dejection reigned
there. (92)
Then the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, knowing that
such an internal, &c. (see § 90, down to) idea had occurred to
the mind of his mother, he quivered a little. (93)
Feeling her child quivering, trembling, moving, and
stirring, the Kshatriyani Trisala-glad, pleased, and joyful,
&c.-spoke thus: 'No, forsooth, the fruit of my womb has not been
taken from me, it has not died, it is not fallen, it is not lost.
Formerly it did not move, but now it does move.' Thus she was glad,
pleased, and joyful, &c.
Then the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, while in her
womb, formed the following resolution: 'It will not behove me, during
the life of my parents, to tear out my hair, and leaving the house to
enter the state of houselessness.' (94)
Bathing, making offerings to the house-gods,
performing auspicious rites and expiatory acts, and adorning herself
with all ornaments, the Kshatriyani Trisala kept off sickness, sorrow,
fainting, fear, and fatigue by food ,and clothing, perfumes and
garlands, which were not too cold nor too hot, not too bitter nor too
pungent, not too astringent nor too sour nor too sweet, not too smooth
nor too rough, not too wet nor too dry, but all just suiting the
season. In the proper place and time she ate only such food which was
good, sufficient, and healthy for the nourishment of her child. She
took her walks in places which were empty and agreeable as well as
delightful to the mind; her desires were laudable, fulfilled, honoured,
not disregarded, but complied with and executed; she most comfortably
dozed, reposed, remained, sat, and laid on unobjectionable and soft
beds and seats, and thus most comfortably carried her unborn child.
(95)
In that period, in that age the Venerable Ascetic
Mahavira-after the lapse of nine months and seven and a half days, in
the first month of summer, in the second fortnight, the dark
(fortnight) of Kaitra, on its fourteenth day, [while all planets were
in their exaltations, the moon in her principal conjunction, and the
sky in all its directions clear, bright, and pure; while a favourable
and agreeable, low wind swept the earth; at the time when the fields
were green and all people glad and amusing themselves] in the middle
of the night while the moon was in conjunction with the asterism
UttaraphaIguni (Trisala), perfectly healthy herself, gave birth to a
perfectly healthy boy- (96)
End of the Fourth Lecture.
Fifth Lecture
In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic
Mahavira was born, there was a divine lustre originated by many
descending and ascending gods and goddesses, and in the universe,
resplendent with one light, the conflux of gods occasioned great
confusion and noise. (97)
In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic
Mahavira was born, many demons in Vaisramana's service belonging to
the animal world, rained down on the palace of king Siddhartha one
great shower of silver, gold, diamonds, clothes, ornaments, leaves,
flowers, fruits, seeds, garlands, perfumes, sandal, powder, and
riches. (98)
After the Bhavanapati, Vyantara, Gyotishka, and
Vaimanika gods had celebrated the feast of the inauguration of the
Tirthakara's birthday, the Kshatriya Siddhartha called, at the break
of the morning, together tht: town policemen and addressed them thus:
(99)
'O beloved of the gods, quickly set free all
prisoners in the town of Kundapura, increase measures and weights,
give order that the whole town of Kundapura with its suburbs be
sprinkled with water, swept, and smeared (with cowdung, &c.) that
in triangular places, in places where three or four roads meet, in
courtyards, in squares, and in thoroughfares, the middle of the road
and the path along the shops be sprinkled, cleaned, and swept; that
platforms be erected one above the other; that the town be decorated
with variously coloured flags and banners, and adorned with painted
pavilions; that the walls bear impressions in Gosirsha, fresh red
sandal, and Dardara [sandal from Dardara] of the hand with
outstretched fingers; that luck-foreboding vases be put on the floor,
and pots of the same kind be disposed round every door and arch; that
big, round, and long garlands, wreaths, and festoons be hung low and
high; that the town be furnished with offerings, &c. (see § 32,
down to) smelling box; that players, dancers, rope-dancers, wrestlers,
boxers, jesters, story-telling ballad-singers, actors, messengers,
pole-dancers, fruit-mongers, bag-pipers, lute-players, and many
Talakaras [those who by clapping the hands beat the time during the
performance of music] be present. Erect and order to erect thousands
of pillars and poles, and report on the execution of my orders.' (100)
When the family servants wre thus spoken to by king
Siddhartha, they-glad, pleased, and joyful, &c. (see §
58)-accepted the words of command, saying, 'Yes, master!'
Then they set free all prisoners, &c. (see §
100 down to) pillars and poles. Having done this, they returned to
king Siddhartha, and laying their hands on their heads, reported on
the execution of his orders. (101)
The. king Siddhirtha then went to the hall for
gymnastic exercises, &c. (see §§ 60 and 61). (After having
bathed) the king accompanied by his whole seraglio, and adorned with
flowers, scented robes, garlands, and ornaments, held during ten days
the festival in celebration of the birth of a heir to his kingdom; (it
was held) under the continuous din and sound of trumpets, with great
state and splendour, with a great train of soldiers, vehicles. and
guests, under the sound, din, and noise of conches, cymbals, drums,
castanets, horns, small drums, kettle drums, Muragas, Mridangas, and
Dundubhis [three kinds of drums], which were accompanied at the same
time by trumpets. The customs, taxes, and confiscations were released,
buying and selling prohibited, no policemen were allowed to enter
houses, great and small fines were remitted, and debts cancelled.
Numberless excellent actors performed and many Talakaras were present,
drums sounded harmoniously, fresh garlands and wreaths were seen
everywhere, and the whole population in the town and in the country
rejoiced and was in full glee. (102)
When the ten days of this festival were over, the
king Siddhartha gave and ordered to be given hundreds and thousands
and hundred-thousands of offerings to the gods, gifts, and portions
(of goods); he received and ordered to be received hundreds,
thousands, and hundred-thousands of presents. (103)
The parents of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira
celebrated the birth of their heir on the first day, on the third day
they showed him the sun and the moon, on the sixth day they observed
the religious vigil; after the eleventh day, when the impure
operations and ceremonies connected with the birth of a child had been
performed, and the twelfth day had come, they prepared plenty of food,
drink, spices, and sweetmeats, invited their friends, relations,
kinsmen, agnates, cognates, and followers, together with the Gñatrika
Kshatriyas. Then they bathed, made offerings (to the house-gods), and
performed auspicious rites and expiatory acts, put on excellent,
lucky, pure court-dress, and adorned their persons with small but
costly ornaments. At -dinner-time they sat down on excellent,
comfortable chairs in the dining-hall, and together with their
friends, relations, kinsmen, agnates, cognates and followers, and with
the Gñatrika Kshatriyas they partook, ate, tasted, and interchangred
(bits) of a Iarge collation of food, drink, spices, and sweetmeats.
(104)
After dinner they went (to the meeting hall) after
having cleansed their mouths and washed; when perfectly clean, they
regaled and honoured their friends, &c. (see § 104, down to) Gñatrika
Kshatriyas with many flowers, clothes, perfumes, garlands,and
ornaments. Then they spoke thus to their friends, &c.: (105)
'Formerly,O beloved of the gods, when we had
begotten this our boy, the following personal, reflectional, desirable
idea occurred to our mind: "From the moment that this our boy has
been begotten, our silver increased, our gold increased, &c. (see
§ 91, down to) Vardhamana. Now our wishes have been fulfilled,
therefore shall the name of our boy be Vardhamana."' (106,107)
The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira belonged to the
Kasyapa gotra. His three names have thus been recorded - by his
parents he was called Vardhamana; because he is devoid of love and
hate, he is called Sramana (i. e. Ascetic); because he stands fast in
midst of dangers and fears, patiently bears hardships and calamities,
adheres to the chosen rules of penance, is wise, indifferent to
pleasure and pain, rich in control, and gifted with fortitude, the
name Venerable Ascetic Mahavira has been given him by the gods. (108)
The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira's father belonged to
the Kasyapa gotra; he had three names: Siddhartha, Sreyamsa, and
Gasamsa, &c. (see Akaraga Sutra II, 15, § 15, down to) Seshavati
and Yasovati. (109)
The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira -clever, with the
aspirations of a clever man, of great beauty, controlling (his
senses), lucky, and modest; a Gñatri Kshatriya, the son of a Gñatri
Kshatriya; the moon of the clan of the Gñatris; a Videha, the son of
Videhadatta, a native of Videha, a prince of Videha-had lived thirty
years in Videha when his parents went to the world of the gods (i. e.
died), and he with the permission of his elder brother and the
authorities of the kingdom fulfilled his promise. At that moment the
Laukantika gods, following the established custom, praised and hymned
him with these kind, pleasing, &c. (see § 47, down to) sweet, and
soft words: (110)
'Victory, victory to thee, gladdener of the world!
Victory, victory to thee, lucky one! Luck to thee, bull of the best
Kshatriyas! Awake, reverend lord of the world! Establish the religion
of the law which benefits all living beings in the whole universe! It
will bring supreme benefit to all living beings in all the world!'
Thus they raised the shout of victory. (111)
Before the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira had adopted
the life of a householder (i.e. before his marriage) he possessed
supreme, unlimited, unimpeded knowledge and intuition. The Venerable
Ascetic Mahivira perceived with this his supreme unlimited knowledge
and intuition that the time for his Renunciation had come. He left his
silver, he left his gold, he left his riches, corn, majesty, and
kingdom; his army, grain, treasure, storehouse, town, seraglio, and
subjects; he quitted and rejected his real, valuable property, such as
riches, gold, precious stones, jewels, pearls, conches, stones,
corals, rubies, &c.; he distributed presents through proper
persons, he distributed presents among indigent persons. (112)
In that period, in that age, in the first month of
winter, in the first fortnight, in the dark (fortnight) of Margasiras,
on its tenth day, when the shadow had turned towards the east and the
(first) Paurushi was full and over, on the day called Suvrata, in the
Muhurta called Vigaya, in the palankin Kandraprabha, (Mahivira) was
followed on his way by a train of gods, men, and Asuras, (and
surrounded) by a swarm of shell-blowers, proclaimers, pattivallas,
courtiers, men carrying others on the back, heralds, and bell bearers.
They praised and hymned him with these kind, pleasing, &c. (see §
47, down to) sweet and soft words: O 13)
'Victory, victory to thee, gladdener of the world!
Victory to thee, lucky one! Luck to thee! with undisturbed knowledge,
intuition, and good conduct conquer the unconquered Senses; defend the
conquered Law of the Sramanas; Majesty, conquering all obstacles, live
in Perfection; put down with thy devotion Love and Hate, the
(dangerous) wrestlers; vigorously gird thy loins with constancy and
overcome the eight Karmans, our foes, with supreme, pure meditation;
heedful raise the banner of content, O Hero! in the arena of the three
worlds gain the supreme, best knowledge, called Kevala, which is free
from obscurity; obtain the pre-eminent highest rank (i. e. final
liberation) on that straight road which the best Ginas have taught;
beat the army of obstacles! Victory, victory to thee, bull of the best
Kshatriyas!
Many days, many fortnights, many months, many
seasons, many half-years, many years be not afraid of hardships and
calamities, patiently bear dangers and fears; be free from obstacles
in the practice of the law!'
Thus they raised the shout of victory. (114)
Then the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira-gazed on by a
circle of thousands of eyes, praised by a circle of thousands of
mouths, extolled by a circle of thousands of hearts, being the object
of many thousands of wishes, desired because of his splendour, beauty,
and virtues, pointed out by a circle of thousands of forefingers,
answering with (a, salam) of his right hand a circle of thousands of
joined hands of thousands of men and women, passing along -a row of
thousands of palaces, greeted by sweet and delightful music, as
beating of time, performance on the Vina, Turya, and the great drum,
in which joined shouts of victory, and the low and pleasing murmur of
the people; accompanied by all his pomp, all his splendour, all his
army, all his train, by all his retinue- by all his magnificence, by
all his grandeur, by all his ornaments, by all the tumult, by all the
throng, by all subjects, by all actors, by all timebeaters, by the
whole seraglio; adorned with flowers, scented robes, garlands, and
ornaments, &c. (see § 102, down to) which were accompanied at the
same time by trumpets-went right through Kundapura to a park called
the Shandavana of the Gñatris and proceeded to the excellent tree
Asoka. (115) There under the excellent tree Asoka he caused his
palankin to stop, descended from his palankin, took off his ornaments,
garlands, and finery with his own hands, and with his own bands
plucked out his hair in five handfuls. When the moon was in
conjunction with the asterism Uttaraphalguni, he, after fasting two
and a half days' without drinking water, put on a divine robe, and
quite alone, nobody else being present, he tore out his hair and
leaving the house entered the state of houselessness. (116)
The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira for a year anda
month wore clothes; after that time he walked about naked, and
accepted the alms in the hollow of his hand. For more than twelve
years the Venerable Ascetic Mahivira neglected his body and abandoned
the care of it; he with equanimity bore, underwent, and suffered all
pleasant or unpleasant occurrences arising from divine powers, men, or
animals. (117)
Henceforth the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira was
houseless, circumspect in his walking, circumspect in his speaking,
circumspect in his begging, circumspect in his accepting (anything),
in the carrying of his outfit and drinking vessel; circumspect in
evacuating excrements, urine, saliva, mucus, and uncleanliness of the
body; circumspect in his thoughts, circumspect in his words,
circumspect in his acts; guarding his thoughts, guarding his words,
guarding his acts, guarding his senses, guarding his chastity; without
wrath, without pride, without deceit, without greed; calm, tranquil,
composed, liberated, free from temptations, without egoism, without
property; he had cut off all earthly ties, and was not stained by any
worldliness: as water does not adhere to a copper vessel, or collyrium
to mother of pearl (so sins found no place in him); his course was
unobstructed like that of Life; like the firmament he wanted no
support; like the wind he knew no obstacles; his heart was pure like
the water (of rivers or tanks) in autumn; nothing could soil him like
the leaf of a lotus; his senses were well protected like those of a
tortoise; he was single and alone like the horn of a rhinoceros; he
was free like a bird; he was always waking like the fabulous bird
Bharundal, valorous like an elephant, strong like a bull, difficult to
attack like a lion, steady and firm like Mount Mandara, deep like the
ocean, mild like the moon, refulgent like the sun, pure like excellent
gold'; like the earth he patiently bore everything; like a
well-kindled fire he shone in his splendour.
These words have been summarized in two verses:
A vessel, mother of pearl, life, firmament, wind,
water in autumn, leaf of lotus, a tortoise, a bird, a rhinoceros, and
Bhirunda; I
An elephant, a bull, a lion, the king of the
mountains, and the ocean unshaken-tbe moon, the sun, gold, the earth,
well-kindled fire. II
There were no obstacles anywhere for the Venerable
One. The obstacles have been declared to be of four kinds, viz. with
regard to matter, space, time, affects. With regard to matter: in
things animate, inanimate, and of a mixed state, with regard to space:
in a village or a town or in a wood or in a field or a threshing-floor
or a house' or a court-yard; with regard to time: in a Samayas or an
Avalika or in the time of a respiration or in a Stoka or in a Kshana
or in a Lava or in a Muhurta or in a day or in a fortnight or in a
month or in a season or in a half year or in a year or in a long space
of time; with regard to affects: in wrath or in pride or in deceit or
in greed or in fear or in mirth or in love or in hate or in
quarrelling or in calumny or in tale-bearing or in scandal or in
pleasure or pain or in deceitful falsehood, &c. (all down to) or
in the evil of wrong belief. There was nothing of this kind in the
Venerable One. (118)
The Venerable One lived, except in the rainy
season, all the eight months of summer and winter, in villages only a
single night, in towns only five nights; he was indifferent alike to
the smell of ordure and of sandal, to straw and jewels, dirt and gold,
pleasure and pain, attached neither to this world nor to that beyond,
desiring neither life nor death, arrived at the other shore of the
sams.Ara, and he exerted himself for the suppression of the defilement
of Karman. (119)
With supreme knowledge, with supreme intuition,
with supreme conduct, in blameless lodgings, in blameless wandering,
with supreme valour, with supreme uprightness, with supreme mildness,
with supreme dexterity, with supreme patience, with supreme freedom
from passions, with supreme control, with supreme contentment, with
supreme understanding, on the supreme path to final liberation, which
is the fruit of veracity, control, penance, and good conduct, the
Venerable One meditated on himself for twelve years.
During the thirteenth year, in the second month of
summer, in the fourth fortnight, the light (fortnight) of Vaisakha, on
its tenth day, when the shadow had turned towards the east and the
first wake was over, on the day called Suvrata, in the Muhurta called
Vigaya, outside of the town Grimbhikagrama on the bank of the river
Rigupalika, not far from an old temple, in the field of the
householder Samaga, under a Sal tree, when the moon was in conjunction
with the asterism Uttaraphalguni, (theVenerable One) in a squatting
position with joined heels, exposing himself to the heat of the sun,
after fasting two and a half days without drinking water, being
engaged in deep meditation, reached the highest knowledge and
intuition, called Kevala, which is infinite, supreme, unobstructed,
unimpeded, complete, and full. (120)
When the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira had become a
Gina and Arhat, he was a Kevalin, omniscient and comprehending all
objects; he knew and saw all conditions of the world, of gods, men,
and demons: whence they come, whither they go, whether they are born
as men or animals (kyavana) or become gods or hell-beings (upapada),
the ideas, the thoughts of their minds, the food, doings, desires, the
open and secret deeds of all the living beings in the whole world; he
the Arhat, for whom there is no secret, knew and saw all conditions of
all living beings in the world, what they thought, rpoke, or did at
any moment. (121)
In that period, in that age the Venerable Ascetic
Mahavira stayed the first raimy season in Asthikagrama, three rainy
seasons in Kampi and Prishtikampi, twelve in Vaisali and Vanigagrima,
fourteen in Ragagriha and the suburbs of Nalanda, six in Mithila, two
in Bhadrika, one in Alabhika, one in Panitabhumi one in Sravasti, one
i.n the town of Papa in king Hastipala's office of the writers: that
was his very last rainy season. (122)
In the fourth month of that rainy season, in the
seventh fortnight, in the dark (fortnight) of Karttika, on its
fifteenth day, in the last night, in the town of Papa, in king
Hastipala's office of the writers, the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira
died, went off, quitted the world, cut asunder the ties of birth, old
age, and death; became a Siddha, a Buddha, a Mukta, a maker of the end
(to all misery), finally liberated, freed from all pains. (123)
This occurred in the year called Kandra, the second
(of the lustrum); in the month called Pritivardhana; in the fortnight
Nandivardhana; on the day Suvratagni, surnamed Upasama; in the night
called Devinanda, surnamed Nirriti; in the Lava called Arkya; in the
respiration called Mukta; in the Stoka called Siddha; in the Karana
called Naga; in the Muhurta called Sarvirthasiddha; while the moon was
in conjunction with the asterism Svati he died, &c. (see above,
all down to) freed from all pains. (124)
That night in which the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira
died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, was lighted up by
many descending and ascending gods. (125)
In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic
Mahavira died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, a great
confusion and noise was originated by many descending and ascending
gods. (126)
In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic
Mahavira died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, his oldest
disciple, the monk Indrabhuti of the Gautama gotra, cut asunder the
tie of friendship which he had for his master, and obtained the
highest knowledge and intuition, called Kevala, which is infinite,
supreme, &c., complete, and full. (127)
In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic
Mahavira, died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, the
eighteen confederate kings of Kasi and Kosala, the nine Mallakis and
nine Likkhavis, on the day of new moon, instituted an illuminations on
the Poshadha, which was a fasting day; for they said: 'Since the light
of intelligence is gone, let us make an illumination of material
matter!' (128)
In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic
Mahavira died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, the great
Graha [comet] called Kshudratma, resembling a heap of ashes, which
remains for two thousand years in one asterism, entered the natal
asterism, of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira. (129) From the moment in
which the great Graha, &c., entered the natal asterism of the
Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, there will not he paid much respect and
honour to the Sramanas, the Nirgrantha monks and nuns. (130) But when
the great Graha, &c., leaves that natal asterism, there will be
paid much respect and honour to the Sramanas, the Nirgrantha monks and
nuns. (131)
In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic
Mahavira died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, the
animalcule called Anuddhari was originated:. which when at rest and
not moving, is not easily seen by Nirgrantha monks and nuns who have
not yet reached the state of perfection, but which when moving and not
at rest, is easily seen by Nirgrantha monks and nuns who have not yet
reached the state of perfection. (132) On seeing this (animalcule)
many Nirgrantha monks and nuns must refuse to accept the offered alms.
'Master, why has this been said?' 'After this time
the observance of control will be difficult.' (133)
In that period, in that age the Venerable Ascetic
Mahavira had an excellent community of fourteen thousand Sramanas with
Indrabhuti at their head;
(134) thirty-six thousand nuns with Kandana
at their head; (135) one hundred and fifty-nine thousand lay votaries
with Sankhasataka. at their head; (136) three hundred and eighteen
thousand female lay votaries with Sulasa and Revati at their head;
(137) three hundred sages who knew the fourteen Purvas, who though no
Ginas came very near them, who knew the combination of all letters,
and like Gina preached according to the truth; (138) thirteen hundred
sages who were possessed of the Avadhi-knowledge and superior
qualities; (139) seven hundred Kevalins who possessed the combined
best knowledge and intuition; (140) seven hundred who could transform
themselves, and, though no gods, had obtained the powers (riddhi) of
gods; (141) five hundred sages of mighty intellect who know the mental
conditions of all developed beings possessed of intellect and five
senses in the two and a half continents and two oceans; (142) four
hundred professors who were never vanquished in the disputes occurring
in the assemblies of gods, men, and Asuras; (143) seven hundred male
and fourteen hundred female disciples who reached perfection, &c.
(all down to) freed from all pains; (144) eight hundred sages in their
last birth who were happy as regards their station, happy as regards
their existence, lucky as regards their future. (145)
The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira instituted two
epochs in his capacity of a Maker of an end: the epoch relating to
generations, and the epoch relating to psychical condition; in the
third generation ended the former epoch, and in the fourth year of his
Kevaliship the latter. (146)
In that period, in that age, the Venerable Ascetic
MaMvira lived thirty years as a householder, more than full twelve
years in a state inferior to perfection, something less than thirty
years as a Kevalin, forty-two years as a monk, and seventy-two years
on the whole. When his Karman which produces Vedaniya (or what one has
to experience in this world), Ayus (length of life), name, and family,
had been exhausted, when in this Avasarpini era the greater part of
the Duhshamasushama period had elapsed and only three years and eight
and a half months were left, when the moon was in conjunction with the
asterism Svati, at the time of early morning, in the town of Papa, and
in king Hastipala's office of the writers, (Mahivira) single and
alone, sitting in the Samparyahka, posture, reciting the fifty-five
lectures which detail the results of Karman, and the thirty-six
unasked questions (the Uttaradhyana Sutra), when he just explained the
chief lecture (that of Marudeva) he died, &c. (see § 124, all
down to) freed from all pains. (147)
Since the time that the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira
died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, nine centuries have
elapsed, and of the tenth century this is the eightieth year. Another
redaction has ninety-third year (instead of eightieth). (148)
End of the Fifth Lecture.
End of the Life of Mahavira.
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