Part 16: Gautama’s omniscience and emancipation

Now, after he had enlightened Devaśarman and had returned, Gautama heard of the Master's nirvāṇa through a report by the gods. Gautama Svāmin, fainting, thought to himself: “Why was I sent away by the Lord for one day, alas! After serving the Lord of the World for so long, I was especially unfortunate not to have seen him at the end. They who were present there were fortunate. Gautama, you are hard as diamond or more than diamond, since you are not broken into a hundred pieces on hearing of the Master’s nirvāṇa. Or rather, I have been mistaken from the first, since I have felt love for the Lord devoid of love, and interest in him disinterested—such was the Lord. Moreover, love, hate, et cetera are causes of birth. For that reason they were abandoned by the Supreme Lord. Enough of interest on my part in the Lord so disinterested. Interest even in the case of interest is not fitting for sādhus.”

So engaged in pure meditation, occupying the ladder of destruction, Muni Gautama instantly attained omniscience from the destruction of the destructive karmas. After he had enlightened the bhavyas on earth for twelve years, Gautama, who had a wealth of spotless omniscience, just like the Master, was worshipped by the gods. He went to the city Rājagṛha and the karma prolonging existence being destroyed, after he had fasted for a month, the lord went to the place which is the abode of indestructible delight.