( Arya Suhastisuriji, while conversing with Emperor Samprati and his sages, says, “Get well, Vatsa! Today I have to tell you and my successor sages something important.” And now read what he says next. )
Arya Suhastisuriji's calm and serious voice hinted at the gravity of the situation. Everyone once again settled into their seats and eagerly awaited what Guruji was about to reveal.
"Sanprati! When life itself is as fleeting as the blink of an eye, why worry excessively about the future? Whatever is meant to happen will happen. But brother, we can take solace in the fact that we have made every possible effort to spread the influence of the true religion. I am fully satisfied with our efforts. Today, as I near the end of my life, with only a year left in this century, my inner self thanks me. I have no complaints, neither with you nor with myself..."
"But yes, there are certainly some shortcomings. I have left a few things incomplete. In my relentless pursuit of spreading Jainism, I sometimes neglected small, subtle matters. When one delves deeply into one subject, one might unintentionally do injustice to others. This was never the intention, but the attention sometimes drifted."
"For many years, I was accompanied by the senior monk Arya Mahagiri. He was 70 years old when he became the head of our order, and it was during that time I received my initiation. Both of us were disciples of the great Acharya Sthulabhadra, the son of the great minister Shakatala, a master of supreme celibacy and the final fourteen Purvas (ancient Jain texts). I became his disciple in Vikram Samvat 215. In the same year, he took his final fast and attained liberation on Mount Vaibhargiri. After his passing, Arya Mahagiri took over as the head of the order. At that time, he was 70 years old, and I was 25."
"With the loss of my guru in my first year of initiation, my entire spiritual formation was in the hands of Arya Mahagiri. He nurtured me as a disciple. In a short span of time, I mastered 11 Angas and 10 Purvas. The final four Purvas’ explanations were lost during the time of Acharya Sthulabhadra, and during Arya Mahagiri’s time, even the text became fragmented. This was the period of decline, and gradually the knowledge of the Purvas started to disappear. The light of Agama (Jain scriptures) was slowly diminishing."
"However, my guru-brother, Arya Mahagiri, treated me like his own and prepared me for the future. He transferred all the knowledge he had to me in a short time. His direct disciples were also well-prepared. Among them, the two main ones were Arya Uttar, also known as Arya Bahul, and Arya Balissah."
"Time passed. Towards the end of his life, the great sage Arya Mahagiri relinquished his responsibilities to the order. At the age of 85, he lived the life of a Jinakalpi (an ascetic lifestyle no longer practiced). Though the practice of Jinakalpi had been discontinued, the great sage still lived in that manner—completely detached from worldly actions and engrossed in meditation."
"I was younger than him, but I was responsible for overseeing the duties of the Sangh (Jain community), and thus, I received the greatest honour and respect from the Sangh and society. Wherever I went, I was celebrated. Meanwhile, the great sage would stay away from the cities, away from the celebrations, in some garden or wilderness, deeply immersed in solitude, either engaged in scripture study or lost in the bliss of the soul. He stayed connected with the entire world through his thoughts."
"I was extremely busy with my duties. Ever since I was introduced to you, Emperor, I haven't even had a moment to catch my breath. Concern for the well-being of the ascetics, resolving the issues of the Sanghs, guiding laymen and laywomen in their practices, and dedicating time to the grand religious initiatives you have undertaken—all of these responsibilities left me no time for meditation, scriptural study, or contemplation. Arya Mahagiri had completely withdrawn from worldly activities, while I was fully occupied. In such circumstances, I couldn’t even find the time to train the new monks."
"Eventually, Arya Bahul and Arya Balissah stepped forward to help. They took responsibility for teaching the monks, which eased my burden. Without them, how would the flow of knowledge have continued? From that point, the Sangh established a dual system: the Acharya took care of external responsibilities, while the internal responsibilities of teaching and learning were managed by the Vachak (teacher) or Upadhyaya (spiritual preceptor). Arya Mahagiri was my Upadhyaya, and his disciples became the Upadhyayas of my disciples."
"Once the monks in the Gachchha (sect) were ready, the Vachaks moved towards Kalinga for private, meditative practice. In Kalinga, there are two mountains—Kumargiri and Kumarigiri. The monks began practicing in the cave dwellings built on Kumargiri Mountain by ancient Shravakas (lay followers). There, they emulated the Jinakalpi monks."
"Arya Mahagiri and his group of disciples, though distant from the Sangh and society, were always concerned about the welfare and future of both. They frequently gazed into the mirror of the scriptures to reflect on the well-being of the Sangh. Constantly engrossed in meditation, they worked to strengthen the Sangh from within and prevent any dangers that might befall important members of the faith. Through their meditations, they received many insights and averted numerous disasters."
"Emperor! Where I couldn’t reach due to my busy schedule, where I couldn’t be present, these Vachaks reached and awakened me, making me aware and cautious."
"Once, in the city of Ujjayini, I was staying among the laymen to take care of the Sangh, while my benevolent guru-brother stayed outside the city in solitude, living the life of a Jinakalpi monk."
"I was seated in the assembly of laymen, who were engrossed in some discussion. Suddenly, I turned my attention to the door and noticed an Arya standing quietly, trying to avoid drawing attention to himself. I was stunned. I left the assembly immediately, rushed towards him, greeted him, and respectfully seated him on the platform. The laymen quietly withdrew. Tears welled up in my eyes. I said, 'Gurudev! I have shown disrespect. Please forgive me. How long have you been standing outside? I didn’t even notice you."
(Continued...)
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