Part 15: The foundation of the tīrtha

After listening to this sermon, Bharata’s son, Ṛṣabhasena, rose, bowed, and declared to Ṛṣabha Svāmin: “O Master, you rain the best nectar of the principles on this forest of existence, cruel with the forest-fires of passions, like a new cloud. You are attained by people terrified of existence, O Lord of the World, like a boat by those sinking, like a well by the thirsty, like a fire by sufferers from cold, like a tree by sufferers from heat, like a torch by those plunged in darkness, like a treasure by the poor, like nectar by people afflicted by poison, like a drug by the sick, like a fortress by people attacked by strong enemies. Protect! Protect! O depository of compassion. Enough of fathers, brothers, nephews, and other relatives, as well as strangers, the causes of wandering through existence. O protection of the world, I have resorted to you alone as refuge, O you who lead across the whirlpool of existence. Give me initiation. Favor me.”

After this speech, he took the vow together with four hundred ninety-nine other sons and seventy grandsons of Bharata. When he had seen the Lord’s kevala-festival made by gods and asuras, Marīci, the son of Bharata, took the vow. Permitted by King Bharata, Brahmī took the vow. The teaching of a guru is usually a veritable eye-witness for people whose karma is light. Sundarī obtained Bāhubali’s permission to take the vow, but was restrained by Bharata, and became the first laywoman. Bharata adopted laymanship at the Master’s feet. For the vow does not take place until karma which has pleasure as its fruit has been consumed. Some among animals, men, and gods took the vow then; others took laymen’s vows, and others adopted right-belief. The royal ascetics, except Kaccha and Mahākaccha, came and joyfully took initiation at the Master’s side. Sādhus, Puṇḍarīka, etc.; sādhvīs with Brāhmī at their head; laymen, Bharata, etc.; and laywomen with Sundarī at their head—this became the rule of the fourfold congregation at that time and continues even today—the best house of dharma.

Then the Lord of the World taught eighty-four wise ascetics—Ṛṣabhasena and others, who had the body-making karma of gaṇabhṛts, the holy ‘three steps,’ origination (utpāda), perishing (vigama), and permanence (dhrauvya), the mother of all the scriptures. He taught the fourteen pūrvas,^[1] and then they gradually made the twelve aṅgas in accordance with the ‘three steps.’ Then Purandara took a dish fìlled with divine powdered sandal and, surrounded by gods, approached the feet of the God of gods. Then rising and sprinkling the gaṇabhṛta in turn with the powder, he gave permission himself for exposition by both text and interpretation, by substances, qualities, modifications,^[2] and modes of expressing things;^[3] and permission for the gaṇas. Then the gods, men, and women from all sides threw powder^[4] on them accompanied by the sound of the heavenly drum. The gaṇadharas stood with folded hands, receiving the Master’s speech like trees receiving rain. Ascending his lion-throne again, facing the east as before, the Master delivered another sermon containing instruction. Then the period of three hours,^[5] resembling the ocean bank with unrestrained waves of the sermon arising from the ocean of the Master, was completed.

Just then the oblation made from whole, husked, shining rice, four prastha^[6] in measure, placed in a dish, its fragrance doubled by perfumes placed on it by the gods, carried by men of first rank, ordered made by Bharata, the heavens being filled with echoes of the sounds of the drum of the gods, accompanied by women singing auspicious songs, surrounded by the citizens like a heap of merit originating by the power of the Ford, entered the samavasaraṇa by the east gate. After it had circumambulated the Ford three times, the oblation was thrown up before him, like a strong, unexcelled seed of the grain of happiness. As it was falling from the sky, half of it was taken in mid-air by the gods, like rain-water by the cātakas. The Ford of Bharata took half of what fell to the ground, and the people took the rest, dividing it like members of a family. From the power of the oblation, all diseases which had formerly appeared disappear and do not reappear for six months.

Then the Lord rose and went away by the north gate, accompanied by the Indras of the gods, like a mass of lotuses by bees. The Blessed One rested on a dais in the northeast between the jeweled and gold ramparts. Then Ṛṣabhasena, the face-ornament of gaṇa-bhṛts, occupying the Blessed One’s footstool, delivered a sermon on dharma. Removal of the Master’s weariness, display of the disciples’ qualities, and reliance on each other, are the qualities of the gaṇabhṛts’ preaching. When the gaṇadhara had completed his sermon on dharma, all departed to their respective homes, after bowing to the Master. A Guhyaka (Yakṣa), named Gomukha, who appeared in the congregation, adorned with two right arms—one in varada-position^[7] and one holding a rosary, and with two left ones—one holding a citron and one a noose, gold-color, having an elephant-vehicle, became the Lord’s attendant. Apraticakrā, gold-color, with a garuḍa-seat, with one right arm in varada-position and the others holding an arrow, disc, and noose, her left arms holding a bow, thunderbolt, disc, and goad, originated in that congregation and became the Lord’s messenger-deity.

Then the Blessed One went elsewhere to wander, surrounded by great rishis like the moon by constellations. As the Master proceeded, trees were bent as if with devotion, thorns were turned face-down, and birds flew to the right. Sense-objects of the seasons were favorable, winds were favorable; a minimum of a crore of gods was at the Lord’s side. The hair, beard, and nails of the Lord of Three Worlds did not grow, as if from fear of seeing the destruction of karma arisen in another existence. Wherever the Master went; there was no hostility, pestilence, drouth, famine, excessive rain, no fear of one’s own ruler nor of another. Endowed with supernatural powers causing wonder to everyone, thus the Lord, son of Nābhi, his mind devoted solely to benefiting the world of saṃsāra, wanders over the earth, like the wind.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

According to tradition, these belonged to the twelfth aṅga, which is lost .

[2]:

Substance (dravya) is—e.g.—the material from which a pot is made; color is one of its qualities (guṇa); but the color might change (paryāya).

[3]:

Naya. For the 7 nayas, see T. 1. 34 and com., and Jhaveri, P. J. P. pp. 49 f.

[4]:

Vāsakṣepa. The powder is a mixture of various fragrant ingredients, named to me—on one occasion—as musk, camphor, ambergris, and sandal. It is put on the head of the newly-initiated, and also on the heads of other participants in some festivals—such as the Paryuṣaṇa.

[5]:

Pauruṣī. The Tīrthaṅkaras preached during the first period, which began at sunrise.

[6]:

Prastha is a bulk measure. The Āva. (198b) gives a table beginning with asati, which makes a prastha=64 asatis. Asati is apparently the same as asali, a word in use at the present time in Kathawar, meaning ‘handful.’

[7]:

The fingers pointing down and the palm out.