Viyahapannatti 18.2

18.2.727

At that time and in that period, there was a city named Visāhā—[its description is to be supplied]. There was the Bahuputtiya caitya—[its description is to be supplied]. The Lord arrived and stayed, up to the assembly paid homage.
At that time and in that period, Śakra, king of the gods, ruler of the gods, wielder of the thunderbolt, Purandara—just as related in the sixteenth śataka, the second uddeśaka, in the same way he arrived in a celestial vehicle-abode; with this exception: here there were also the Ābhiyogika gods; up to having displayed thirty-two types of dramatic dances, up to he departed.
Addressing him as "Venerable Sir!", the venerable Gautama bowed to and venerated the śramaṇa, Lord Mahāvīra. Having bowed and venerated, he spoke thus: "Just as with Īśāna in the third śataka, so here too is the illustration of the peaked roof; in the same way the query concerning the previous birth, up to how did he attain [such splendor]?"
Addressing Gautama, the śramaṇa, Lord Mahāvīra, spoke thus to the venerable Gautama: "Indeed, Gautama, at that time and in that period, right here in the continent of Jambūdvīpa, in the realm of Bhārata, there was a city named Hastināpura—[its description is to be supplied]. There was a pleasure garden named Sahasrāmravana—[its description is to be supplied].
There, in the city of Hastināpura, lived a prominent merchant named Kārtika, wealthy, up to not despised by the populace. He held the primary seat among the guild members, was to be consulted and re-consulted by the eight thousand guild members on numerous matters, purposes, domestic concerns, counsels, secrets, hidden matters, decisions, and business dealings; he was a central pillar, an authority, a support, a mainstay, and eyes for them; serving as a central pillar, an authority, a support, a mainstay, and eyes; exercising and maintaining lordship, civic primacy, mastery, headship, command, and control like a military commander over the eight thousand guild members and over his own family; a śramaṇa-layman who understood the jīva and the ajīva, up to cultivating his soul through voluntary austerities.
At that time and in that period, the arhat Munisuvrata, the originator of the Dharma, just as related in the sixteenth śataka, arrived and stayed, up to the assembly paid homage.
Then that prominent merchant Kārtika, having received this news, delighted and contented, just as Sudarśana in the eleventh śataka, in the same way set out, up to paid homage.
Then the arhat Munisuvrata expounded the Dharma to the prominent merchant Kārtika and to that very large assembly, up to the assembly departed.
Then that prominent merchant Kārtika, having heard and apprehended the Dharma in the presence of the arhat Munisuvrata, delighted and contented, rose up from his seat. Having risen, he bowed to and venerated the arhat Munisuvrata. Having bowed and venerated, he spoke thus: 'It is so, Venerable Sir! Up to just as you say; only, O beloved of the gods, I shall take leave of the eight thousand guild members, install my eldest son over the family, and thereafter I shall renounce the world in the presence of the beloved of the gods.'
[The Lord said:] 'Do as it pleases you, O beloved of the gods; do not cause any delay.'
Then that prominent merchant Kārtika departed, up to having departed, proceeded to the city of Hastināpura and to his own home. Having arrived, he summoned the eight thousand guild members. Having summoned them, he spoke thus: 'Indeed, beloved of the gods, I have heard the Dharma in the presence of the arhat Munisuvrata. And that Dharma is desired by me, accepted, and agreeable. Therefore, beloved of the gods, being perturbed by the terror of worldly existence, up to I shall renounce the world. So, beloved of the gods, what will you do? What will you undertake? What is desired by your hearts? What is your capacity?'
Then those eight thousand guild members spoke thus to the prominent merchant Kārtika: 'If you, beloved of the gods, being perturbed by the terror of worldly existence, up to are renouncing the world, then, beloved of the gods, what other support, base, or bond is there for us? We too, beloved of the gods, being perturbed by the terror of worldly existence and afraid of birth and death, shall shave our heads and renounce the household life for homelessness together with you, beloved of the gods, in the presence of the arhat Munisuvrata.'
Then that prominent merchant Kārtika spoke thus to those eight thousand guild members: 'If, beloved of the gods, being perturbed by the terror of worldly existence and afraid of birth and death, you are renouncing the household life for homelessness together with me in the presence of the arhat Munisuvrata, then go, beloved of the gods, to your own homes; have plentiful food, drink, delicacies, and savories prepared; invite your friends, kinsmen, relatives, family, connections, and attendants; honor and attend upon those friends, kinsmen, relatives, family, connections, and attendants with abundant food, drink, delicacies, savories, garments, scents, garlands, and ornaments; install your eldest sons over your households in the presence of those friends, kinsmen, relatives, family, connections, and attendants; having installed them, take leave of those friends, kinsmen, relatives, family, connections, attendants, and eldest sons; having taken leave, mount palanquins carried by a thousand men; and having mounted, being followed along the way by your friends, kinsmen, relatives, family, connections, attendants, and eldest sons, with all grandeur, up to the resounding sounds of kettle-drums and musical instruments, appear before me without losing any time.'
Then those eight thousand guild members respectfully accepted this instruction of the prominent merchant Kārtika. Having accepted, they went to their respective homes. Having arrived, they had plentiful food, drink, delicacies, and savories prepared. Having prepared them, they honored and attended upon their friends, kinsmen, relatives, family, connections, and attendants with abundant food, drink, delicacies, savories, garments, scents, garlands, and ornaments; in the presence of those friends, kinsmen, relatives, family, connections, and attendants, they installed their eldest sons over their households; having installed them, they took leave of those friends, kinsmen, relatives, family, connections, attendants, and eldest sons; having taken leave, they mounted palanquins carried by a thousand men; and having mounted, being followed along the way by their friends, kinsmen, relatives, family, connections, attendants, and eldest sons, with all grandeur, up to the resounding sounds of kettle-drums and musical instruments, appeared before the prominent merchant Kārtika without losing any time.
Then that prominent merchant Kārtika had plentiful food, drink, delicacies, and savories prepared, just like Gaṅgadatta, up to mounted his palanquin. Having mounted, being followed along the way by his friends, kinsmen, relatives, family, connections, attendants, his eldest son, and the eight thousand guild members, with all grandeur, up to the resounding sounds of kettle-drums and musical instruments, he set out right through the middle of the city of Hastināpura, just like Gaṅgadatta, up to [addressing the Lord]: 'Afflicted, Venerable Sir, is the world; engulfed, Venerable Sir, is the world; afflicted and engulfed, Venerable Sir, is the world, up to [only Dharma] will accompany one. Therefore, I desire, Venerable Sir, to be initiated personally by you together with the eight thousand guild members, up to expound the Dharma.'
Then the arhat Munisuvrata personally initiated the prominent merchant Kārtika together with the eight thousand guild members, up to expounded the Dharma: 'Thus, beloved of the gods, should one walk; thus should one stand, up to thus should one exercise self-restraint.'
Then that prominent merchant Kārtika, together with the eight thousand guild members, properly received this religious instruction of the arhat Munisuvrata, proceeded in accordance with his command, up to exercised self-restraint.
Then that prominent merchant Kārtika, together with the eight thousand guild members, became a homeless ascetic—circumspect in movement, up to a guarded practitioner of celibacy.
Then that homeless ascetic Kārtika studied the fourteen pūrvas beginning with the Sāmāyika in the presence of such venerable elders of the arhat Munisuvrata; having studied them, cultivating his soul through varied austerities such as many four-meal fasts, six-meal fasts, eight-meal fasts, ten-meal fasts, twelve-meal fasts, half-month fasts, and one-month fasts, he led the ascetic life for twelve full years; having led it, he emaciated himself through a one-month saṃlekhanā; having emaciated himself, he broke sixty meals by fasting; having confessed and repented, attained composure, and died at his appointed time, he was reborn in the Saudharma realm, in the Saudharmāvataṃsaka celestial abode, in the assembly hall of rebirth, on a divine couch, covered by divine cloth, with an embodiment measuring an innumerable fraction of a finger, as Śakra, the king of the gods.
Then Śakra, king of the gods, ruler of the gods, newly reborn—the rest is just as with Gaṅgadatta, up to he will make an end to all suffering; with this exception: his lifespan duration is two sāgaropamas; the rest is exactly the same.
'It is so, Venerable Sir! It is so, Venerable Sir!'