Prakrit Proper Names (Agamic Index I) v1.c5.s1.220

v1.c5.s1.220

2 Asādha A preceptor who took promise from each of his dying disciples to come back to him after going to heaven Many of his disciples died but none of them returned This created a doubt in his mind about the existence of heaven and hell Consequently he left the group and started living all alone Seeing this condition of the preceptor one of his late disciples who was a god in the heaven came on the earth and staged a play Asādha witnessed the play constantly for a period of six months He was not mindful even of hunger and thirst The god then stopped the play Asādha started for another place The god transformed himself one by one into six children well adorned with ornaments etc and met him in the way He killed all the children and took away their belongings The god then transformed himself into a king and requested the preceptor to accept food from him Asādha declined to accept it since his bowls were full of ornaments which in fact he did not want to disclose to the king He was however compelled to place the bowls before the king Now his position was very awkward The king was very angry Asādha had no other alterna tive but to expiate for the sin The god showed his original form and revealed the whole episode Asāḍha returned to his original place joined the group and re-established his faith in the creed ¹