Paumacariya 89

English (machine translation) 89

Language: English

89.1

Now, at another time, wandering [from place to place], seven sky-faring supreme sages
in due course arrived at the city of Mathurā:

89.2

Suramanyu, Śrīmat, Śrītilaka, Sarvasundara,
Jayamanta, Anilalalita, and the other was Jayamitra.

89.3

These seven were born from the womb of Dharaṇī to Śrīnandana;
born as princes in the great city, they were like celestial youth.

89.4

Seeing the arrival of the supreme gods [at the renunciation] of the sage Pītikara,
they became enlightened along with their father and all strove for dharma.

89.5

Leaving his small boy, who was only one month old, on the throne,
the king took renunciation together with his sons near Pītikara.

89.6

Attaining the marvel of omniscience, in time Śrīnandana reached liberation;
the other seven sages, too, in due course arrived at the city of Mathurā.

89.7

Just then the rainy season arrived, discharging masses of rain-water from the clouds;
all seven monks undertook their spiritual practice in that city.

89.8

By their power, the plague set in motion by the lord of gods vanished;
the earth too was watered and became abundant with new crops.

89.9

Together with its country, Mathurā was then freed from disease and became prosperous,
plentiful with fields of sugarcane, and abundantly rich with unploughed crops.

89.10

Endowed with twelvefold austerities, those sky-faring supreme sages
would go to break their fast in Potana, Vijayapura, and other cities, and then return.

89.11

Now, once upon a time, at midday,
those monks, flying up into the sky, went to the city of Sāketa.

89.12

Wandering for alms in orderly succession from house to house, those steadfast monks
arrived at the residence of the lay follower Arhaddatta.

89.13

Arhaddatta thought: 'Where are these monks wandering during the rainy season,
acting contrary to proper conduct, leaving their own place?'

89.14

Then, taking food and pure drink that was completely free from fault according to the rules of seeking,
they entered the temple of the supreme Jina in the middle of a park.

89.15

'These [monks], however, are non-compliant, devoid of scripture, and greedy for tastes;
they wander about at the improper time; I will not bow to these monks.'

89.16

Held back by pride, that lay follower did not bow to them;
only his daughter-in-law offered food to all of them with faith.

89.17

Bestowing the blessing of dharma, as they in due course entered the Jina temple,
they were reverently saluted by an ascetic monk dwelling at that place.

89.18

Deeming them to be of improper conduct, the disciples of the ascetic monk did not bow;
indeed, they said to their own guru: 'He who bows to these is a fool.'

89.19

There in that Jina temple, having bowed before the noble image of the Lord Munisuvrata,
they sat down and took their food along with the ascetic.

89.20

Having blessed that place, they flew up into the sky towards their own residence;
swift as the wind, all seven reached the city of Mathurā in an instant.

89.21

Seeing the flying monks, the resident monks were greatly astonished,
and they censured themselves: 'We did not even bow to them!'

89.22

Just as this talk was going on, Arhaddatta arrived
and heard their praises being recited by the ascetic:

89.23

'Dwelling in Mathurā, endowed with immense virtues, and rich in supernatural powers,
O lay follower, those steadfast sky-faring monks were revered by me today!'

89.24

Then, hearing of their greatness, the lay follower became despondent in mind;
burning with remorse, he censured his own disposition:

89.25

'Fie upon my foolish nature! Deprived of right view,
ignorant of dharma and non-dharma, there is no one equal to me in false belief!

89.26

I did not rise to greet them nor did I bow to those supreme sages;
that burns my mind even today, nor were they served according to proper rule.

89.27

Whoever, seeing the form of a monk, does not abandon his seat with respect,
and whoever disdains a guru, he must be known as one of false belief.

89.28

Indeed, this wretched disposition will burn my vile heart
until I go and bow to all those true monks.'

89.29

Then, having resolved his mind and knowing that the Kārttika full moon was near,
the merchant, wealthy like a cloud [of riches], set out to venerate the Jina.

89.30

Surrounded by hundreds of charioteers, cavalry, and foot-soldiers,
the merchant reached the hermitage of the Seven Ṛṣis on the seventh day of the bright fortnight of Kārttika.

89.31

He, possessed of supreme right belief, having performed the ritual of bowing to the sages,
arranged a magnificent worship with flowers in that sacred spot.

89.32

With auspicious sounds of music sung and played by actors, dancers, umbrella-bearers, and bards,
he made the vicinity of the hermitage of the Seven Ṛṣis delightful like heaven.

89.33

Prince Śatrughna too, hearing of the news of the supreme sages,
arrived in Mathurā with his retinue, accompanied by his mother.

89.34

Having bowed to the monks and encamped at that place,
he performed an extensive worship filled with the loud sounds of drums and mṛdaṅgas.

89.35

When the monks completed their vows, they were addressed by Prince Śatrughna:
'Out of profound compassion, accept alms from my palace.'

89.36

The best of monks replied: 'O king, food that is prepared [for them] or caused to be prepared
is not permissible for monks of pure moral conduct.

89.37

Only alms not prepared [for them], nor caused to be prepared, nor approved in mind,
are permissible for monks bearing the burden of dharma.'

89.38

Then Śatrughna said: 'O venerable ones, if you will not accept [alms] in my house,
then dwell here in this excellent city for just some amount of time.

89.39

When you arrived here, the plague departed along with illnesses;
the city too became happily prosperous, full of abundant crops.'

89.40

Addressed thus, O Śreṇika, that bull among sages, who knew reality, spoke:
'O Śatrughna, listen to my words, which are beneficial and wholesome.

89.41

Here in the land of Bhārata, once the era of King Nanda has passed,
the dharma of the Jinas will have few adherents in the age of Duḥṣamā.

89.42

There will be many false heretics, and associations with portents and calamities;
villages will be like cremation grounds, and cities like the realm of ghosts.

89.43

Kings will become like thieves, and men will be heavily addicted to passions;
with their minds bewildered by false belief, they will be intent on censuring monks.

89.44

Regarding what is unwholesome as truly wholesome, devoid of restraint and virtue,
burdened by heavy karmas, they will fall into hell.

89.45

Disdaining monks, fools will give [alms] only to fools;
like seeds sown in barren land, there is no increase from that gift.

89.46

Fierce, overcome with passion, lands will be full of vile conduct;
fools will incessantly commit violence, falsehood, and theft.'

89.47

to non-noble pseudo-monks lacking vows, rules, good conduct, and self-restraint, / and who will also know various collections of false sectarian doctrines.

89.48

Devoid of the mass of gems of right conduct, lacking affection for fathers and brothers, / people will become adherents of false sects in great numbers through the influence of the Duṣṣamā era.

89.49

Śatrughna, knowing that time is reckoned by the influence of the Duṣṣamā era in this way, / remain devoted to the Jina's dharma, and accomplish your own welfare to the best of your ability!

89.50

Devoted to the doctrine of the householder, filled with affection towards people, / install statues of the supreme Jinas in house after house!

89.51

Śatrughna, quickly install statues of the seven sages / in all four directions of this city; from that, peace will be established for you.

89.52

From today onward, whoever here does not have an image of the Jina in their own house, / the plague-goddess will assuredly kill them, as a tigress kills a deer.

89.53

Indeed, in whose house there is an image of the Jina, even the size of a thumb, / from their home the plague-goddess will quickly flee—there is no doubt."

89.54

Having spoken thus, the prince, together with all the merchants, / bowed down to those seven sages with supreme devotion.

89.55

Having imparted the blessing of dharma, those sages flew up into the vault of heaven; / endowed with supernatural powers of walking through the air, they descended at Sītā's mansion.

89.56

Seeing them standing in the courtyard of her mansion, Sītā, endowed with supreme faith, / highly skilled, respectfully served all those sages with excellent food.

89.57

And giving their blessing, the excellent sages went to the region they desired; / Śatrughna too installed images of the Lord of Jinas in the city.

89.58

And images of the seven sages, set upon pedestals, / made of gold and gems, [were installed] in all four directions of Mathurā.

89.59

Together with the surrounding country, the whole city was comforted and freed from fear; / filled with wealth, grain, and gems, Mathurā became like the city of the gods.

89.60

Three yojanas in length and nine more in circumference, / Mathurā shone with mansions, groves, and lotus ponds.

89.61

Citizens were equal to kings, householders like rulers of men and equal to Kubera; / devoted to dharma, wealth, and pleasure, the people were engaged in the teaching of the Jina.

89.62

Thus in the city of Mathurā, endowed with command, sovereignty, and fortune, / Śatrughna enjoyed unequalled virtue and royalty according to his desire.

89.63

Those who hear this narrative of the seven sages with devotion and serene minds / become free of diseases and obstacles, like stainless rays [of the moon] in the world.

89.64

Thus ends the eighty-ninth chapter in the Paümacariya, entitled 'The Regulation of the Settlement of Mathurā'.

Linked texts (1)

Paümacariya — Vimalasūri, Māhārāṣṭrī Prakrit