( In the city of Ujjaini, Sthavirakalpi Arya Suhastiji lived in the middle of the settlement and in comparison to Jinkalpi, Gurubhata Arya Mahagiriji used to stay outside the settlement in a secluded forest.
Arya Suhastiji got engrossed in some discussion. In this situation, his attention went towards the door. There he saw Arya standing in solitude in such a way that no one could see him. Arya Suhastiji greeted him and respectfully made him sit on the seat. Then he said, Gurudev! I have become impolite. Please forgive me. You must have been standing outside for so long, I did not even see you. Read what happens next. )
"Then the Muni said, "Brother Muniwar! What a great responsibility you have taken on? By serving the Shri Sangh, how much Nirjara (elimination of karmas) are you performing? It is because of you that ascetics like me can peacefully compare themselves to the Jina monks. We can savour the essence of self-contemplation. How can I, Muniwar, create any disturbance in this spiritual practice of yours? This practice is even greater and more sublime than ours. We are merely engaged in self-welfare, but the entire Aryavarta is illuminated by your greatness. I stood in isolation so as not to disturb your spiritual practice. What is the difference to a Jina monk whether he is in the wilderness or in a village? As long as he has a three-hand radius of pure ground, that is sufficient for his meditation. What else does one need?"
"Emperor! At that moment, tears welled up in my eyes, and look, even today, as I tell you this, at the age of 99, my heart is filled with emotion." The Surisamrat was overwhelmed.
"Then the Muni said, 'You have a lay disciple, Emperor Samprati! Sometimes, his immense enthusiasm disrupts proper conduct, and you cannot always pay attention to it!'
"I replied, 'Whatever he does in his spiritual pursuits, he informs me about everything.'"
Then Gurudev said, "Muni Raj! In your enthusiasm for the sole objective of spreading the influence of the spiritual discipline, you seem to be forgetting that without the protection of proper conduct, the spread of the discipline is not possible. Because proper conduct itself is the discipline. Until the establishment of proper conduct, Prabhu Mahavira's spiritual rule was not established. That is why, Muni Raj, Prabhu’s first sermon had no effect."
"I understand that, Guruji. That’s why, when Samprati sent monks disguised as ordinary men to regions unfamiliar with proper conduct, I did not stop him. In this way, even those regions would become somewhat familiar with proper conduct, and the spiritual rule would spread there as well."
"But you forget, Muniwar, that once someone dons this attire, it cannot be removed again. Otherwise, a lot of irregularities will occur."
"Forgive me, Guruji! I feel this is an exception to the rule, and I am ready to atone for this mistake…" I said.
"You have the independence to decide between honour and dishonour, and you are the custodian of the spiritual discipline. You did what you thought was right. But Muniwar! What I have just seen is extremely troubling, and it brings no benefit to the spiritual discipline."
"What crime have I committed, Guruji?"
"Just now, during my alms round, I saw monks taking food from the royal alms house."
"Yes, that is true. But enough caution has been taken to ensure that proper conduct is not compromised. The cooks have been instructed not to prepare food for the monks, but to give them what is left over after distributing to travellers."
"If food is left over every day, then why don't the cooks make less? Don’t they have the experience to estimate the amount needed? Isn't the excess food being made for the monks?"
"And why should monks be made to acquire such habits?Like a bee wandering among high and low castes, the practice of monks of begging for food in unknown places is disrupted, and they grow accustomed to receiving rich and plentiful food from the same place. This could become a habit, and if it becomes part of their conduct, then how will there be any distinction between Brahmins, Buddhist monks, and Jain ascetics in terms of food practices, Muniwar?"
"The particularly serious issue is that this alms house belongs to the king. It’s the royal kitchen. How can the food from there be suitable for monks? Prabhu Mahavira prohibited the acceptance of royal food for monks. Muniwar, accepting royal food can deeply affect the minds and conduct of the present-day monks. I see no benefit in it; in fact, I foresee immense harm."
"Do not just be the affectionate provider for the monks, Muniwar! Be their disciplinarian too. Don’t only shower them with love, but also ensure they adhere to strict discipline. Such misplaced affection is not beneficial. Therefore, you must impose this rule on them immediately."
"With that, he left. I gave him my word, and he didn’t need to know whether I followed through or not. It wasn’t because he trusted me, but because he compared me to the Jina monk, indifferent to the world. He wasn’t a Jina monk himself, which is why he came to advise me. Otherwise, he wouldn't have shown the slightest interest in worldly matters."
"Emperor! The reason I stopped the monks from receiving alms at the royal alms house is what I needed to explain to you and my disciples."
"There have been many instances where he has disciplined me like a father. I took care of the entire Sangh’s welfare, but my welfare was taken care of by that secluded, nameless, invisible, and reclusive great monk."
"I am reminded of an incident from 45 years ago. At that time, the great monk Arya Mahagiri came to meet me for the last time and spoke with me for the final time."
"Even then, I had made an innocent mistake. Here in Patliputra, a well-known merchant, Vasubhuti, had recently joined Jainism. He considered me his benefactor and revered me greatly. One day he said to me, 'Respected one! Thanks to your grace, I am experiencing immense joy. But I wish for my entire family to experience this spiritual joy. So, Guruji, please bless my home with your presence.'
"And I went to Vasubhuti's home. The knowledge of Prabhu Mahavira is priceless. Arya Mahagiri's blessings are vast. The whole family became deeply immersed in the faith.Then people also become addicted to religion. Emperor, just as you became devoted, Vasubhuti and his entire family became devoted in the same way. Their curiosity grew, and to satisfy it, I visited their home frequently for sermons."
"And one day, it was as if the sun and moon shone together in that place. While I was delivering a sermon, the great monk Arya Mahagiri set out on his alms round.While wandering among the high and low castes, he arrived at Vasubhuti's courtyard."
"The family members did not show him any special reverence because he was silent and appeared quite ordinary. His clothes were worn out and soiled.His his body dry from the hardships of penance. There was nothing about him that would attract anyone, not even a child."
"But as soon as I saw him, I stood up, approached him, bowed down, and expressed my gratitude for his darshan."
"After he left, Vasubhuti asked me about him. I told him, 'He is my Guru. He is engaged in great spiritual practices. He only accepts the most meager food, what is discarded and no longer useful. Otherwise, he fasts. He is truly great…'
"Due to my overwhelming emotion, tears welled up in the merchant's eyes. But the outcome was the opposite of what I had expected."
"The merchant alerted all his relatives and acquaintances in Patliputra, and soon, Arya Mahagiri began receiving rich offerings from every household. People would say, ‘If you don’t accept it, we’ll throw it away.’
"The great monk did not accept that food. He immediately returned to his secluded abode, far from the noise of the city, in a serene place covered by the gentle breeze and the cool shade of dense trees like neem, mango, and fig. Such open and boundaryless places, where sitting makes you feel as if you are above the whole world, belonging to no home, village, or town. In all the neighborhoods, at all the checkpoints, or alleys, your limits do not confine you. You are the master of the entire earth, and the whole world is your family."
"In such a serene and beautiful place, filled with the melodious chirping of birds, he was seated, immersed in the ocean of scriptures. The knowledge of the past is immense. Through its depth and transformation, the distinctions between the past and future become clear. In the great sage's mind, all events unfolded as clearly as holding a fruit in one's palm. His eyes were opened."
"That evening, I was discussing and deliberating with the monks who were responsible for surveying the area. We had to go from Pataliputra to Vidisha to seek the blessings of Jivit Swami. The journey from Magadha to Vidisha was very long. The wise monks had personally gone to each village and town, inspecting all the arrangements—whether small or large, short or long routes, and the necessary facilities for the young and old of the Sangh. They were reporting everything to me when, at that moment, the great sage Arya Mahagiri, glowing with the radiance of the blazing sun, arrived."
"In a moment, all the monks stood from their places and took seven or eight steps forward to offer their respects to Arya Mahagiri Ji. Unaffected by this, the great monk was absorbed in his inner self. I approached, greeted him, and respectfully seated him on a mat, sitting humbly before him."
"Muni Shri! Every action has a reaction. Every sound has an echo. What you are doing is new, but I do not have the courage to say it is false; however, it is new compared to tradition. These are all temporary methods you have adopted. You must be extremely cautious to ensure they do not become permanent. A ladder is necessary to reach the moon chamber, but once you are there, the ladder serves no further purpose and must be discarded. The various methods you have adopted—no Acharya has used them until now, and it is uncertain if anyone will adopt them in the future. At the appropriate time, all such methods must be abandoned, and they should be abandoned during your presence. Because once a tradition continues to the seat of authority, it later becomes an essential custom. Therefore, be cautious..."
"I replied, 'Your protective shadow is over me. You keep me constantly aware. Therefore, I have no worries. Nothing will go wrong."
(To be continued...)
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